The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - Spanish Armor - May 31st, 2005

mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk ^

[SAMWolf]

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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Spanish Armored Forces

1908 RMM (Rheinmetall)



Complete with a 50mm gun for knocking down observation balloons. A unit was tested along with the 1909 Schneider armored truck (see below). This model was never purchased.

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The French Hotchkiss 1908



This vehicle was also sold to Turkey.

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The French Schneider 1909



This armored truck was the first AFV built and employed by the Spanish Army. The first one was purchased in 1910, being sent two years later to the Moroccan war theater. A second one, slightly different (more prominent engine compartment in the front) arrived to Spain in 1911.

There are some documents but no photos about a third vehicle that arrived in 1921.

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The Spanish FT17

As a result of losses and lessons learned in the Rif War, Spain determined that tanks were needed in order to suppress the rebellion. Previously, over 12,000 men and their associated arms were lost in July 1921, partly due to inexperance, ignorance, and downright poor leadership. The result was that the rebellion now had modern arms. In order to overcome this terrible advantage they now had, an increase in technology was needed (as is with every war) in order to nullify the rebellion's increased fire power and the fact that the rebellion now had more supporters each day because they had shown that Spain could be defeated.



After the shock of the loss, the Spanish government turned to the Spanish Foreign Legion. The Legion were among the finest soldiers in the world, and while they suffered, held, and scraped they way along in Africa, tanks were sought from England and France. British tanks, the Whippet, in particular, was far too expensive for the Spanish government to afford and so the French FT17 became the logical choice for them.

The FT17 had and was proving to be the most important tank to emerge from WW1. It was powerful, light, had good cross country performance, simple maintenence, good fire power, good protection, a real turret, and was CHEAP. The FT17 was manufactured in the thousands in France, while licence built copys were being used by many nations around the world. This tank was such a bargin that it soldiered on right up into WW2! Some of the turrets made their way into Hitler's Atlantic Wall, while others performed police duties, snow removal, and tank driver training right up to the end of the war!

This tank had a unique frameless design that got its strength from the body. This design was later applied to the automobile. There is a bit of the FT17 in the car you drive right now. In August 1921, the Spanish bought 12 of these 6.5 ton Renault tanks. Eleven were armed with 7mm Hotchkiss machine guns and one, the command tank, had the turret replace with a sheetmetal box containing a radio.



The tank company was equiped with 12 tank transport trucks, 2 fuel tankers, auxiliary vehicles that included a repair truck. The TO&E listed a captain, 2 lieutenants, a sergeant major, 8 sergeants, 40 enlisted men that included drivers, cooks and mechanics. on 18 March 1922, after 2 months of training - sans weapon firing - the crews went into action. With NO infantry training, weapons testing, experance in wet weather, these crews deployed against the Beni Said Tribe. Advancing on the town of Tugunz and Ambar, the plan was to work with the Legion (infantry) and drive the tribe out of those towns. Despite mechanical problems from wet ignitions and leaky roofs, the attack went on at 0600 on 18 March 1922. At a rapid 4mph, the tanks soon out-distanced the infantry. The Beni Said fought like lions against this threat. Firing everything they had at the mechanical nightmares. Without supporting infantry, the tribemen were able to climb on the tanks and use their daggers to stab the eyes of the drivers through their vision slits. Finally, the tribesmen resorted to using rocks! At this point, with ignition failures, gun failures, and no support, the tanks were forced to withdraw leaving 2 tanks dead on the battlefield. Spain and these tankers would learn from this failure and form the Spanish Armor Corps - one of the finest armor forces in the world.

It is not known if any of these tanks from this period took part in the Civil War. Read the Trubia section below for more on this tank model during that period.

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Camion Protegido Car 1921



The Camion Protegido armored car (or truck) was a 4x2 vehicle. There were many variations on this design, some with turrets, some without. Built in 1921 by the Electrotechnical Corps belonging to the Engineers branch of the army. 31 of this vehicles were built by the Centro Electrotécnico de Ingenieros between 1921 and 1924 on the following chassis: 1 Federal, 8 Nash-Quad 40 hp, 2 Benz 40/50 hp and 20 Latil 35 hp.

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1921 Schneider CA-1



6 units were purchased in September 16, 1921 so as to form a armored battery*. These units were sent to Morocco the 28 February 1922, being the first Spanish tanks engaged in combat the 14th of March. This unit worked with the Renault FT17 tank company in the Rif War but were not incorporated into the tank company in 1929. None of these tanks were ever lost in battle. After the war in Morocco they came back to the Peninsula in 1929 where they were kept in the Army depots. Some of them were available and used in 1936 during the early days of the Civil War.

*Other units purchased in order to form the armored battery were 3 Krupp trucks, 1 Hispanic-Swiss "Aljibe" truck, 1 Hupmobile, and 2 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

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Hispano-Suiza Armored Truck



No information available

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1923 Saint Chamond Wheel cum Track





7 units were purchased in September 16, 1923 so as to form a tank company. The Spanish soldiers quickly found out that they had been sold pure junk. They must have been purchased without any testing or someone received some "kick back" money because they were a failure from the start. After initial deployment, problems immediately arose with a total failure of one unit's drive system and it had to be returned for repair. After a few days 2 more failed just as the first. Soldiers quickly noted the lengthy time it took to switch from track to wheel. Other faults were thin armor, a weak engine, and a machine gun that could only be fired forward. The interior was prone to excessive heat and driver visablity was very poor. Further, the poor driver had to put up with hot, spent machine gun shell casings hitting his head as they were ejected! These vehicles were quickly retired. It is reported that 2 of these tanks are in a museum in Madrid but this has been disputed as there is no public display of them. Perhaps they are stored in private museums or "out of view" in a public museum.

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Trubia, Trubia A4



Though proposed for a full production, only 6 prototypes were produced. 3 of the prototypes took part in the Spanish Civil War in the Regiment of Infantry Milán. The 'Trubia' was based on the Renault FT-17 series of light tanks. It's superstructure was obviously different, but its suspension was basically the same. The tank was designed by army officer Captain Ruiz de Toledo, and built by Trubia in 1926 (hence the name). Successive improvements were made to the basic design until around 1931. Further developments of the 'Trubia' design resulted in the medium tank 'Landesa'. This tank was based on the commercial Landesa tractor (hence its name). Possibly 26 were built. The Trubia A4 was an improved design by Captain Ruiz de Toledo.

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The Oteyza 1935



It is believed that this was only a prototype.

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Verdeja



The Verdeja was designed by the commander of artillery D. Felix Verdeja Bardales. Construction began in 1938 and the finished prototype was delivered in January of 1939.

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Fiat 3000


Fiat 3000 during a military parade. They are B model, with a 3.7 cm gun.

One unit purchased for testing.

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Vickers Carden Loyd Tankette



One unit purchased for testing.

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German PzKpfw IV Ausf. G & H



An unknown number were aquired between 1943 and 1944.

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The Bilbao Armored Car

In 1932 the government of the second republic formed the "Guardia de Asaltos". The Asaltos were motorized shock troops, armed with pistols, machine guns, rifles, mortars, and armored cars. Organized into 14 assault groups (18 in 1934) each had 3 companies supported by a specialist company.



Each specialist company had a HQ element, a mortar and gas section, and a motorized section of 3 armored cars.

The 3 armored cars were Bilbaos, built by the railway department of the Yard Spanish Society (SECN) Sestao, (Bilbao).

The stock vehicle was the American Dodge 4x2 - model 1930. Dodge provided the chassis with a Chrysler motor, gearbox, and wheels. Using only the fenders, lights and front bumper from the stock body, a 'T' shaped iron girder was mounted on the chassis, and steel plates were riveted on it, forming the body structure.



The body had a strong appearance however the armor was poor. There were 2 front seats for the commander and driver and 2 folding seats for the crew. Access doors could be opened from both ends, and there were 6 shielded windows along the front and sides plus a seventh rear window. The rear hull was extended by a bin for luggage and spares.

On the roof was a rotating turret, with vision ports and a hatch on the top.



The Bilbao was produced in two series, the first of 36 vehicles were supplied to the 18 assault guard companies, and a second series of 14 supplied to the cavalry "Grupo de auto ametalladoras - canon" reduced to 12 in August 1936 as 2 were returned to Sestao's factory. Today, there is a Bilbao perfectly preserved and fully operational at the "Escela de Logisica del Ejercito" - the only known survivor from those built between 1932 and 1936.

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The Vickers E Type, 6 Ton Tank



Myth: "The tank in the photograph has an interesting history. The name of the tank is "Ina". Captured by the Paraguayans, she was made a war trophy. After the war with Bolivia, the tank was sold through a Swiss arms dealer to the Republic of Spain in 1937. It is not known if the tank ever took part in the Civil War or what became of it. Bolivia is the only nation in South America to ever use tanks in combat on that continent."

Fact: The Paraguayans kept the tank at least into the 1970's (photographic proof in the Paraguay Section of TANKS!) and then it was returned to Bolivia as a gesture of peace. It is not known what happened to "Ina" when the tank arrived in Bolivia.

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German Stug3g



20 units were aquired in 1944.

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The Spanish pre-civil war tank force had some 40 Renault FT light tanks, 4 derelict Schneider CA-1 tanks, and 26 locally produced Trubia Model 1926 tanks. Spanish armor forces had seen combat in the Rif War in the 1920s...

[SAMWolf]

Republicans
Backing: Russia + public support from various liberal and anti-Axis nations.

A lightly equipped Russian contingent fighting on the Republican side is equipped with 500 to 600 BT and T26 type tanks led by General Dimitri Pavlov. Italian and Russian contingents are both accompanied by air force units. Action is generally limited to company schemes planned in conjunction with infantry attacks.

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The Polish FT-17

Late in the 1930's, Poland sold a number* tanks to Spain, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, and China. It is not known if these FT-17 were obsolete French made units or Polish made. There is some mention of the Polish made CWS-FT-17 being exported. CWS means "Centralne Warsztaty Samochodowe" - Central Car Workshops - and between 1925 to 1927 they manufactured 26 or 27 tanks from French spare parts, and Polish iron plates and other parts. The Polish production model used normal iron instead of steel used in French manufacture. The Poles used the CWS made tanks for training as the armor was inferior for actual combat usage. There were two or three companies (some 30-45 tanks) sold to China.

* Some reports state "about 30", others state 64, still others claim 90. It is believed that Poland, with the agreement of Uruguay, sent some of the tanks to Spain. There were two or three companies (some 30-45 tanks) sold to China, and one (probably only one) company sold secretly to Spain via Uruguay. The tanks sold to China were sold officially.- the tanks sold to "Spain/Uruguay" couldn't be sold officially, because Poland was in so-called "non-intervention committee", which was formed by some European countries and didn't allow military sales to Spain during their civil war.

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The "Landesa" Medium Tank

The design was based upon an agricultural tractor. Several such designed were supplied to the Loyalists during the Civil War. These type of vehicles had limited movement value as they were top heavy.

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The French FT17

Models included both the machine gun and cannon armed versions. Some reports state that the special model FT-17 75BS, armed with a 75mm gun, was used. It is not known if the Republicans had all the vehicles that Spain purchased prior to the civil war.

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The Soviet FAI

No details available

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The Union Naval de Levante, UNL-35

With the outbreak of the civil war; the CNT (Confederacion Nacional de Trabajadores - an Anarchist organization) and UGT (Union General del Trabajo - controlled by the Socialists) seized the shipyards at Valencia. Faced with an acute shortage arms, they engaged in the production of ordnance. Aside from shipbuilding, they engaged in the manufacture of armored vehicles and armored railway cars for the Teruel front (at the Devis works). The metallurgical industry in Valencia applied their vast applied techniques and knowledge gained in the naval sector to their production of some well finished armored vehicles.

This vehicle was designed by Soviet engineer Nikolai N. Alymov for Spain and inspired by the Soviet FAI. A prototype was completed and Spanish engineers improved the initial design. A trained eye can spot the difference between a Soviet production FAI and the Spanish production UNL-35. The Spanish production unit has an almost "German" like turret.

Armor consisted of 8mm plates of high quality steel. There were four different variants (including an armored ambulance).

Production began at the beginning of January 1937 at the rate of 5 per month, although in 1938 deliveries were curtailed due to air raids which eventually forced the relocation of the plant to the facilities of the firm Amat at Elda; where production recommenced once again in September. The production of ordnance continued until April 1939, when aircraft again bombed the facilities. There's evidence of the completion of 130 vehicles of the UNL-35 type alone (some of which were captured by the Nationals). After the war, the design was produced right into the 1950's.

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The Soviet BA-6

Exact numbers are unknown.

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Tanque de Juguete

Spanish Nationalist "tanque de juguete" (toy tank). Developed by the Republicans. It is not known if this tank ever got past the prototype form.

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The Soviet BA-20

Exact numbers are unknown.

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T26

Based on a Vickers design, this formidable tank was armed with a 47mm cannon. Right up to the beginning of the war with Germany in 1941, the main gun on this tank was more powerful than most tanks in the German army. A good - solid tank, it's only drawback was the poor maintenance practices of the Red Army compounded by poor conditions and supplies in Spain. These same poor maintenance practices would be the cause for many tanks abandoned by the Red Army when Germany invaded the USSR in 1941. This tank was considered, by many, to have been the most successful tank deployed in the Civil War.

281 T-26 Model 1933 were sent to Spain to fight in the Civil War.*

* There are some discrepancies about the total number of tanks delivered to Spain. Most Russian sources quote a figure of 347 tanks (297 T-26 and 50 BT-5) while others quote figures as high as 362 tanks. Recent archival evidence suggests that the figure is lower, only 331 tanks. The various discrepancies were possibly caused by several events:

The transport ship Komsomol was sunk by the Spanish cruiser Canarias on 14 December 1936, probably carrying tanks that may have been counted in some of the totals. An attempted shipment of 25 T-26 tanks on the transport Iciar in the summer of 1937 was blocked when the crew refused to sail. Lastly, at least one shipment of 40 T-26 tanks that was returned to the USSR late in the war. The figures of 347 and 362 tanks probably refer to the number of tanks shipped, while the figure of 331 tanks is the total number of tanks actually delivered to Spain.

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BT5

50 BT-5 were sent to Spain to fight in the Civil War.

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The Soviet T-28

There is a report that one was sent to Spain. Combat record is not known.

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Italian CV-33

Two or three were captured at the battle of Guadlajara. Seen here towing a captured Italian Krupp 75L 27mm model 1906 (built under license by Odero, Terni).

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Improvised Armor

No details available.

.

[SAMWolf]

Nationalists
Backing: Germany, Italy



The German contingent - Panzer Bn 88 (Colonel von Thoma) - is deployed in conjunction with a Luftwaffe expenditionary force - the Condor Legion. Consisting of three light mainly PzKpfw1 conpanies, transport, anti-tank (3.7cm) and signal units, the battalion serves basically as a Nationalist training cadre.

The Italian involvement (Corpo Truppe Volontarie) in the civil war north-east of Madrid was headed by 'Littorio' a motorized division serving General Gervasio Bitossi. The division is accompanied by 60 light tanks and some armored cars.

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PzKpfw I



With an armor skin made of mild steel, and twin machine guns on a rotating turret, this little tank had it's work cut out for it. This was Germany's first attempt at a mass produced tank when she rearmed. This tank that was meant for training purposes even though it was used in combat right through the Battle of France in 1940. Production was stopped in 1941. These units were then withdrawn from frontline action BUT there were various interesting attempts made to prolong the use of the chassis - including an assault version with as much armor as a Tiger! Both model A and B were sent to Spain. Some variants were locally produced by the Spanish.

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PzKpfw II



Small numbers of the Panzer 2 made it into combat in Spain. Armed with a 20mm cannon, they were ineffective against Russian T-26 and BT-5 tanks. These units in various marks were produced right up to 1941. Afterward, the chassis were modified for units such as the Wespe (Wasp).

Search as hard as I might, I have yet to find photographic evidence of an actual PzKpfwII in use in Spain. Lately, I have begun to suspect that this tank may never have been used there. In December of 2000, I received an email that gave credit to my beliefs:

"I´m a Spanish "aficionado" with some interest on the Spanish Civil War (36-39). I saw in your website that you mentioned some PzKpfwII being tested to Spain. To the extent of my knowledge there is not a single source of reliable information that can support it. This caused a much heated debate in a discussion group that you may like to join at Egroups. Furthermore, Spanish specialist Mr. Mazarrasa (writer of the best two books on armored vehicles during the SCW) also confirmed this point. German armor support to the Nationalists side consisted mainly of PzKpfw I." - Francesc Xavier Cebrian

"There’s been lot of discussion about the presence of PzKpfw II in the SCW, but nobody seems to find any real evidence. What did exist was a Spanish upgrade of PzKpfw I, where the turret was enlarged and the two machine guns were replaced by a Breda 20mm guns, and I think this might be some source of confusion. Also another variant of PzKpfwI was sent to Spain, It was the Betchswagen (or something like this, but I don't have the right spelling right now), wich was basically a PzKpfwI turret-less, radio equipped, with only 1 machinegun, used as a command vehicle in PzKpfw I formations." - Pablo Perez

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Carro Veloce CV33



Some CVs that survived operations during the Spanish Civil War were left in Spain and were incorporated into the Spanish Army. Ansaldo also built a prototype of an enlarged version of the CV for Spain that mounted a 20mm gun in a rotating turret; although the Spanish Army showed no further interest in the prototype, the vehicle influenced later development of the L6 light tank.

The Ethiopian campaign demonstrated a severe handicap due to the machine guns' narrow traverse capability. In one event, Ethiopian soldiers (who had no tanks are were basically a medieval army with muzzle loading cannon) actually attacked a troop of CV33's. After the initial fear and worry had worn off, and getting a bit hot under the collar because their beloved leader had fallen, they formed a plan. Noting the limited traverse of the MG's, they simply attacked from the side! In the narrow area in which this occured, the poor CV33 tankers simply could not turn around. After a liberal stabbing of port slits with sabers and knives, the angry soldiers then poured gasoline on the tanks and set them afire. To add insult to injury, the Ethiopians then flipped the tanks over - barehanded. Only one crew survived to surrender out of 13 tanks in this encounter - and that was by shouting Christo - Christo! Seems that the Ethiopians did not understand that hands up meant surrender... to them, the Italians simply made better targets of themselves!



The Spanish Civil War was and entirely different story. Here the poor underpowered, underarmored CV33 had to face superior Soviet armor. There is a report of a brave CV33 tanker sneaking up behind a T26 and trying to douse it with it's flame thrower (yes there was a flame thrower model)... The CV33 did not return. One thing, the Italian soldier was certainly a brave and disiplined soldier to follow orders in a machine of this inferior quality.

Other terms often applied to this vehicle are: L5/21, L5/30, L3/35, L3aa, L3LF. I have read that the tank should be always called a CV33 despite an upgrade done later causing some to call them CV35. I understand that CV35 was not a term used by the Italian Army. Simply put, except for some variations of machine guns and speciality weapons, the vehicle looked and performed the same - poorly.

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Lancia Ansaldo IZM - Italy



Based on the Lancia IZ Truck, the IZ armored car was an advanced design for it's day. For firepower the vehicle was equipped with a turret mounted machine gun and a further small turret on top with another (later models)- giving this car considerable firepower. Steel rails were added over the top tor cutting wire. Little used in WW1 due to terrain on which the Italians fought, many were sent to North Africa for police work. Total production by 1918 was 120. After WW1 some were sent to Albania where they formed the sole armored force of the country for many years. Some were sent to Spain and used by the Italians during the Spanish Civil War. At this point they performed poorly due to being outmoted.

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Spanish Nationalist T-26



All shown pictures are of captured Republican T-26 tanks pressed into Nationalist service. The bottom right photo is a nationalist T-26 model 33 late production. The Nationalists prized the Republican (Soviet) tanks going so far as to offer a bounty for each tank captured intact.

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German SdKfz7



A prime mover for the famous 88mm AA and AT gun. An unknown number were sent to Spain during the war.

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Spanish Nationalist BT-5



Shown here newly captured by the Condor Legion. Note that the tank was running without it's tracks.

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Spanish Nationalist Komintern Prime Mover



Shown here being inspected by Nationalist Forces.

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A proud General Franco reviews troops in Chevrolet trucks

Thousands were purchased from Chevy dealers around Spain.

Additional Sources:

users.swing.be/tanks.tanks

[SAMWolf]

The Spanish Civil War

1936 - 39 Spain, having become a Republic after a plebsite vote, had many internal problems. The king, departed to France, without abdicating, the ruling party (Provisional Government of the Republic of Spain) had only been able to win by making deals with the 2 dozen plus other political parties. The weight that tipped the balance into civil war were the endless strikes by the communists and the government's inablility to halt them. When the government finally put it's foot down, it was too late. Gangland style executions were started by the communists, and the nation divided...

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

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

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We here at Blue Stars For A Safe Return are working hard to honor all of our military, past and present, and their families. Inlcuding the veterans, and POW/MIA's. I feel that not enough is done to recognize the past efforts of the veterans, and remember those who have never been found.

I realized that our Veterans have no "official" seal, so we created one as part of that recognition. To see what it looks like and the Star that we have dedicated to you, the Veteran, please check out our site.

Veterans Wall of Honor

Blue Stars for a Safe Return

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



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Click on Hagar for
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LINK TO FOXHOLE THREADS INDEXED by PAR35

[snippy_about_it]

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It's TreadHead Tuesday!


Good Morning Everyone

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[snippy_about_it]

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************Snippy, I bequeath to you the FR TH PL.

148 posted on 08/24/2004 11:39:45 AM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (I've lost turret power; I have my nods and my .50. Hooah. I will stay until relieved. White 2 out.)

Good morning, fall in. :-)

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone. Traffic is heavy this morning.
This was a blind spot we ran into.
Have a great day!

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[Iris7]

Interesting your interest in the Spanish Civil War. Important affair far beyond Spain. The operations of the American Left are instructive today, particularly their recruiting and agitprop.

Speaking of agitprop, how about "For Whom the Bell Tolls"? Good old brave, heroic, virtuous Communists fighting the forces of evil.

The major media in the United States has been Leftist for a long time. There are always exceptions to this rule, but not many.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

[alfa6]

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Iris7]

Dad sentence. Read:

"The operations of the American Left are instructive today, particularly their recruiting and agitprop."

As:

"The operations of the American Left during the Spanish Civil War are still instructive today, particularly, in my opinion, their recruiting and agitprop."

The Communist materials from that period, a much more unsophisticated time, are, compared to what we see today, relatively open and obvious. The basic structure, though, is the same as we see today.

[Iris7]

"Dad" should be "Bad". Need a spell checker for late at night. Time for bed.

[The Mayor]

May 31, 2005

Touched By A Stranger

Read:
Romans 12:3-16

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love. -Romans 12:10

Bible In One Year: 1 Kings 1-4

Marsha Burgess was a complete stranger to us, so we were touched by the note she sent. She knew my husband Carl's mom who had recently died. She had often seen her when visiting her own mother at a local nursing home.

So when Carl lost his mother, Marsha took the time to share her memories with us. She closed her note with these words: "Your mom always had a big smile on her face and was happy to see us. How wonderful to have such precious memories! We just loved your mom. We'll never forget her." Marsha is a Christian, and her words brought comfort in our grief. They reminded us of the joy of being part of Christ's body (Romans 12:5).

Every believer has been given a specific gift or gifts by God to use in building up others-prophesying, ministering, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and showing mercy (vv.6-8). But all of us are to "be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love" (v.10) and to "rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep" (v.15).

Sometimes we hesitate to reach out to someone we don't know. We wonder if it is appropriate or if it will mean anything to the person. But that note from Marsha reminds us how much it means to be touched by a stranger. -Anne Cetas

Like refreshing rain in summer
Or the gentle breeze in spring,
Just a little gift of kindness
Joy to someone's heart can bring. -Hess

Opportunities to be kind are never hard to find.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
The Compassion Of Jesus

[GailA]

Good morning, it's Tuesday and therefore QUILTING day.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on May 31:
1469 Manuel I king of Portugal (1495-1521) during era of exploration
1557 Theodorus I (Fedor Ivanovitsj) czar of Russia (1584-98)
1701 Alexander Cruden compiler of a concordance to King James Bible
1810 Horatio Seymour Governor (Union), died in 1886
1818 John Albion Andrew Governor (Union), died in 1867
1819 Walt Whitman West Hills NY, poet (Leaves of Grass)
1837 Stephen Dodson Ramseur Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1864
1837 William Henry Fitzhugh "Rooney" Lee Major General (Confederate Army)
1857 Pius XI [Ambrogio DA Ratti] Italy, 259th Roman Catholic Pope (1922-39)
1861 Emily Perkins Bissell welfare worker (1st christmas seal drive, 1907)
1872 Charles G Abbot US, astronomer (Constant Sun)
1872 William Heath Robinson England, illustrator/cartoonist (Don Quixote)
1892 Gregor Strasser German pharmacist/NSDAP-Reich organization leader
1894 Fred Allen Cambridge MA, comedian (Fred Allen Radio Show)
1898 Norman Vincent Peale Ohio, clergyman (Power of Positive Thinking)
1908 Don Ameche Kenosha WI, actor (Cocoon, Trading Places)
1912 Henry M "Scoop" Jackson (Senator-D-WA)
1920 Edward Bennett Williams lawyer/team owner (Redskins, Baltimore Orioles)
1921 Robert Arthur Ley UK, sci-fi author (Telepath, Power of X)
1922 Denholm Elliott London England, actor (Alfie, Cuba, Doll's House, King Rat)
1930 Clint Eastwood San Fransisco CA, actor (Dirty Harry)/mayor (Carmel CA)
1931 John Schrieffer US physicist (Nobel 1972)
1934 Jim Hutton Binghamton NY, actor (Ellery Queen)
1937 Vladislav Ivanovich Gulyayev Russia, cosmonaut
1938 Peter Yarrow New York NY, (Peter, Paul & Mary-Puff the Magic Dragon)
1939 Terry Waite Anglican Church envoy/Lebanese hostage
1941 Johnny Paycheck Greenfield OH, singer (Take This Job & Shove It)
1943 Joe Namath Beaver Falls PA, NFL QB (New York Jets), the $400,000 man (1969 Superbowl)
1943 Sharon Gless Los Angeles CA, actress (Chris Cagney-Cagney & Lacey)
1944 Mick Ralphs guitarist (Mott the Hoople, Bad Company)
1946 Rainer Werner Fassbinder German director (Marriage of Maria Braum)
1948 Rhea Perlman Brooklyn NY, actress (Carla-Cheers, Zena-Taxi)
1950 Tom Berenger Chicago IL, actor (Big Chill, Gettysburg)
1960 Chris Elliott New York NY, actor/comedian (Get a Life, David Letterman Show)
1961 Lea Thompson Rochester Minnesota, actress (Back to the Future, Space Camp)
1965 Brooke Shields New York NY, model/actress (Blue Lagoon, Suddenly Susan)

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Deaths which occurred on May 31:
0455 Petronius Maximus senator/Emperor of Rome, lynched
1198 Moses ben Solomon Ha-Cohen rabbi of Mainz, dies
1740 Frederick-William I king of Prussia (1713-1740), dies at 51
1809 Franz Josef Haydn Austrian composer (Jahreszeiten), dies in Wien (Vienna) Austria at 77
1837 Joseph Grimaldi greatest clown (king of pantomime), dies at 57
1862 Robert Hatton Confederate Brigadier-General, dies in battle at about 34
1900 John Power Irish baronet/whiskey manufacturer, dies in battle
1916 Horace Hood British spy (Battle of Jutland), dies in battle
1942 Reinhard Heydrich German protector of Bohemia & Moravia, assassinated
1955 "Wild Bill" Vukovich killed in the Indianapolis 500
1961 Rafael Trujillo Dominican Republic President, assassinated at 69
1962 Adolf Eichmann war criminal, hanged for crimes against Jews in WWII at Ramie Prison in Israel at 56
1971 Reinhold Niebuhr US theologist, dies at 78
1974 Adelle Davis US nutrionalist (Let's stay healthy), dies at 70
1976 Martha Mitchell wife of former Attorney General John Mitchell, dies in New York at 57
1982 Jack Dempsey former heavyweight boxing champion/actor, dies at 86
1989 Dr Charles A Hufnagel artificial heart valve pioneer, dies at 72
1989 Terry Drinkwater CBS news correspondent, dies at 53 of cancer
1996 Timothy Francis Leary Harvard professor/LSD guru, dies of cancer at 75
1997 Rosie Will Monroe WWII icon (Rosie the riveter), dies at 76
2000 Tito Puente, Latin jazz bandleader, died in New York at age 77.

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GWOT Casualties

Iraq
31-May-2004 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Lance Corporal Dustin L. Sides Al Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire
US Captain Robert C. Scheetz Jr. Baghdad (military hospital) Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack


Afghanistan
A Good Day

http://icasualties.org/oif/
Data research by Pat Kneisler
Designed and maintained by Michael White

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On this day...
0070 Rome captures 1st wall of the city of Jerusalem
1495 Emperor Maximilian, Pope Alexander VI, Milan, King Ferdinand, Isabella & Venice sign anti-French Saint League
1564 Battle on Gotland: Lübeck & Denmark defeat Sweden
1621 Sir Francis Bacon thrown into Tower of London for 1 night
1634 US colony Massachusetts Bay annexes Maine colony
1665 Jerusalem's rabbi Sjabtai Tswi proclaims himself Messiah
1678 Lady Godiva rides naked through Coventry in a protest of taxes
1790 US copyright law enacted
1821 Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, 1st US Catholic cathedral, is dedicated in Baltimore
1837 Astor Hotel (most elaborate in US) opens in NYC, it later becomes the Waldorf-Astoria
1853 Elisha Kane's Arctic expedition leaves New York aboard the Advance
1859 Philadelphia A's organize to play "town ball" became baseball 20 years later
1861 General Beauregard is given command of Confederate Alexandria Line
1861 Mint at New Orleans closes
1862 Battle of Seven Pines VA (Fair Oaks); North defeats South
1864 Raid at Morgan's Kentucky

1868 1st Memorial Day parade held in Ironton OH

1868 Dr James Moore (UK) wins 1st recorded bicycle race, (2k) velocipede race at Parc fde St Cloud, Paris
1870 Congress passes 1st Enforcement Act (rights of blacks)
1870 E J DeSemdt patents asphalt pavement
1879 Madison Square Garden opens its doors
1880 League of American Wheelmen (1st US bicycle association), forms in Newport RI
1883 French fleet under Pierre begins siege of Tamatave, Madagascar
1884 Dr John Harvey Kellogg patents "flaked cereal"
1889 Johnstown Flood; 2,209 die in Pennsylvania
1891 Work on trans-Siberian railway begins
1894 Victor Horsley, medical researcher, published a report in Nature indicating that cats shot through the head stop breathing and that resuscitative efforts helped them survive
(PETA is NOT happy)
1900 British troops under Lord Roberts occupy Johannesburg
1900 US troops arrive in Peking, help put down Boxer Rebellion
1902 Boer War ended between the Boars of South Africa and Great Britain with the Treaty of Vereeniging
1906 Attack on King Alfonso XIII & Victoria von Battenberg in Madrid
1907 Taxis 1st began running in NYC
1908 Miss Pottelsberghe de la Pottery is 1st airplane passenger (Belgium) (complains that luggage is lost)
1909 1st NAACP conference (United Charities Building, NYC)
1910 Glenn Curtiss flies from Albany to NYC
1912 US marines land on Cuba
1913 17th amendment (direct election of senators) declared ratified
1915 An LZ-38 Zeppelin makes an air raid on London
1916 Battle of Skagerrak: British-German sea battle at Jutland (10,000 dead)
1916 British battle cruiser Invincible explodes, killing all but 6
1917 1st jazz record released (Dark Town Strutters Ball)
1919 1st wedding held in an aircraft (over Houston TX)
1919 NC-4 aircraft commanded by AC Read completes 1st crossing of Atlantic
1921 Suffy McInnis (1st base) begins an errorless string of 1,700 chances
1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition opens in Philadelphia
1927 Detroit Tiger 1st baseman Johnny Neun makes an unassisted triple play
1927 Ford Motor Company produces last "Tin Lizzie" (begins Model A)
1928 1st aerial cross of the Pacific takes off from Oakland
1930 Comet 73P/1930 (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3) approaches 0.0617 astronomical units (AUs) of Earth
1935 Quake kills 50,000 in Quetta Pakistan
1937 1st quadruplets to finish college (Baylor University)
1937 German battleships bomb Almeria Spain
1941 1st issue of "Parade" goes on sale
1941 32.0 cm rain falls on Burlington KS (state record)
1941 German occupiers forbids Jews access to beach & swimming pools
1942 Luftwaffe bombs Canterbury
1943 "Archie" comic strip 1st broadcast on radio
1943 Cardinals Mort Cooper pitches 1st of back-to-back one-hitters
1944 Allied breakthrough in Italy
1947 Communists grab power in Hungary
1949 31st PGA Championship: Sam Snead at Hermitage CC Richmond VA
1949 Charley Lupica begins stay on 4-foot-square platform platform atop a 60' pole, vowing to stay until Indians clinch pennant. (They don't, and he comes down 117 days later)
1950 Due to rain, Indianapolis 500 shortened to 345 miles, Johnny Parson wins
1953 Lebanese President Camille Shamun disbands government
1955 Construction begins on Soviet cosmodrome launch facilities
1955 Great Britain proclaims emergency crisis due to railroad strike

1955 Supreme Court orders school integration "with all deliberate speed" (Brown vs Board of Education)

1956 Mickey Mantle homerun just misses clearing Yankee Stadium's roof
1958 Dick Dale invents "surf music" with "Let's Go Trippin"
1961 Chuck Berry's amusement park, Berryland in St Louis, opens
1961 Dominican Republic President Trujillo assassinated
1961 Judge Irving Kaufman orders Board of Education of New Rochelle, to integrate
1962 "Tell It To Groucho" last airs on CBS-TV
1964 San Fransisco Giants beat New York Mets, 8-6, in 23 innings (2nd game) (7 hours 32 minutes)
1965 Jim Clark becomes 1st foreigner in 49 years to win Indianapolis 500
1969 John Lennon & Yoko Ono record "Give Peace a Chance"
1969 Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amour"
1970 At 03:23 PM, Yungay Peru levelled by 7.75 earthquake (50-70,000 die)
1974 Israel & Syria sign an agreement concerning Golan Heights
1977 Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani becomes heir apparent to throne of Qatar
1977 Trans Alaska oil pipeline completed
1984 57th National Spelling Bee: Daniel Greenblatt wins spelling luge
1985 41 Tornados in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York & Canada kill 88 & injure more than 1,000
1985 Guatemala adopts constitution
1985 New Orleans Saints are sold for $70,204,000
1987 Saul Ballesteros drives 3 golf balls off Mount McKinley, Alaska
1988 Ronald Reagan meets with students at Moscow Univ. receives a standing ovation after a short speech with questions and answers.
1989 Speaker of the House Jim Wright resigns
1990 63rd National Spelling Bee: Amy Marie Dimak wins spelling fibranne
1990 NYC's Zodiac killer shoots 3rd victim, Joseph Ponce
1990 Seinfeld starring Jerry Seinfeld, debuts on NBC as Seinfeld Chronicles
1991 Oldest bride - Minnie Munro, 102, weds Dudley Reid, 83, in Australia
1991 Defense Secretary Dick Cheney announced the United States had begun storing military supplies in Israel for use in future conflicts.
1991 Sides in Angola sign a treaty ending 16 year civil war
1994 U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, D-Ill indicted on 17 felony counts alleging he'd plundered nearly $700,000 from the government. (later pled guilty to two counts of misusing federal funds and spent 451 days in federal custody.)
1996 Mark Van Thillo & Abigail Alling, former biospherian win $100,000 lawsuit against Biospheric Development for Space Biospheres Ventures
1996 Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory in Israel's election for prime minister, defeating incumbent Shimon Peres by nine-tenths of 1 percent.
1998 Valin joins FreeRepublic, level of debate rises to new heights leftists quake in fear.
/uttterly shameless plug
2002 Vermont Gov. Howard "the duck" Dean filed papers with the Federal Election Commission for "Dean for America" presidential-campaign organization
2002 Yemen holds 85 detainees with suspected links to the al Qaeda network
2004 Newbridge Capital, an American private equity firm, became the 1st foreign financial to gain control of a Chinese bank with an 18% stake in Shenzhen Development Bank and majority control of the board.

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Botswana : President's Day
Brunei : Royal Brunei Malay Regiment
Namibia, South Africa : Union Day (1910), Republic Day (1961)
Zimbabwe : Independence Day (1979)
National Macroon Day
National Frozen Yogurt Week Begins
Spring Bank Holiday (United Kingdom).
Whit Monday (Britain).
National Photo Month

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Religious Observances
Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic : Feast of the Visitation [Queenship] of Mary
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Aurelia Petronilla, virgin
old Roman Catholic : Feast of St Angela Merici, virgin
Anglican : Commemoration of 1st Book of Common Prayer

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Religious History
1578 Italian archaeologist Antonio Bosio became the first man in modern times to rediscover the Christian catacombs in Rome. Researchers (e.g., Giovanni B. de Rossi) who followed him dubbed Bosio "the Columbus of the Catacombs."
1638 Colonial clergyman Thomas Hooker, 51, first arrived at the site of New Haven, CT, having migrated there with his church members who repudiated the autocratic rule of Puritanism in Boston. Hooker (the founder of Connecticut) believed Boston had become corrupt, and that church authority should rest in the people's consent.
1769 Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'He fulfills His promise in making our strength equal to our day; and every new trial gives us new proof how happy it is to be enabled to put our trust in Him.'
1821 The first Catholic cathedral in the U.S. the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary was dedicated in Baltimore.
1942 German warplanes bombed Canterbury, England, causing severe damage to the Canterbury Cathedral (seat of Anglicanism), in retaliation for Britain's assault on Cologne, Germany.

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

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Underwear Marathon Registration Opens
Bogota, Colombia – May 30, 2005

City leaders announced the start of registration for the city’s first ever men’s underwear marathon. Participation is limited to males dressed in underwear.

The Bogota Athletic Association along with a major Colombian underwear company organized the event, which is scheduled for June 5th at noon, and is routed through Bogota’s principal avenues.

Organizers believe over 500 athletes will compete. The top prize is $900 dollars, and the top three finishers will receive a large supply of men’s underwear.

(It's not known if Saddam Hussein will attend due to a pressing engagement)

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Thought for the day :
"What we learn from history is that we do not learn from history."

[DJ Taylor]

Memorial Day, how it all began.



GENERAL ORDERS #11

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868

I. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If our eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from his honor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

II. It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective.

By order of

JOHN A. LOGAN, Commander-in-Chief

N.P. CHIPMAN, Adjutant General

Official: WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.

[manna]

Present!

[w_over_w]

Morning Glory Folks~

HEY! Speak english! ;^)

Happy Treadhead Tuesday! Awesome looking relics . . . the pic of the armored truck looks some of the vehicles we see trying to cross our borders illegally.

Well I'm off to the front . . . er . . . rooftop. Gotta finish the chimney and loft windows before the sun starts baring down. Later . . .

[Valin]

Evening Grace