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Posted on 02/13/2006 8:35:48 PM PST by alfa6
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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THE VALENTINE TANK  Based on the A10 Cruiser tank, the Valentine was privately designed by the Vickers-Armstrong corporation (hence its lack of an "A" designation) and was submitted to the War Office on February 14, 1938. Like many other projects, the Valentine was rushed into production following the loss of nearly all of Britain's equipment during the evacuation at Dunkirk. Several versions exist concerning the source of the name Valentine. The most popular one says that the design was presented to the War Office at St. Valentine's Day (February 14). Some sources, however, claim that the exact date the design was submitted was February 10. According to other version, the tank was called Valentine in honor of Sir John Valentine Carden, the man who led the development of the A10 and many other Vickers vehicles. Yet another version says that Valentine is an acronym for Vickers-Armstrong Ltd Elswick & Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  The War Office was initially deterred by the size of the turret and the crew compartment. However, concerned by the situation in Europe, it finally approved the design in April 1939. The vehicle reached trials in May 1940, which coincided with the loss of nearly all of Britain's equipment during the evacuation at Dunkirk. The trials were successfull and the vehicle was rushed into production as Infantry Tank III Valentine. The Valentine remained in production until April 1944, becoming Britain's most mass produced tank during the war with 6855 units manufactured in the UK (by Vickers, Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage and Wagon and Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon) and further 1420 in Canada. They were the Commonwealth's main export to the Soviet Union under the Lend-lease Act, with 2394 of the British models being sent and 1388 of the Canadian (the remaining 30 were kept for training).  The Valentine was Britain's most mass produced tank during the war, having manufactured 6855 and a further 1420 in Canada. They were the Commonwealth's main export to the Soviet Union under the Lend-lease Act, with 2394 of the British models being sent and 1388 of the Canadian (the remaining 30 were kept for training). In Soviet service, they were quite popular due to their small size, reliability, and generally good armour protection. In Soviet service, the Valentine was used from the Battle of Moscow until the end of the war. It was employed mostly on the southern fronts, both because of the proximity to the Persian supply route and in order to avoid using the tank in very cold climate. Although criticized for its speed and its weak gun, the Valentine was liked due to its small size, reliability and generally good armour protection. The Valentine was something of an oddity, having the weight and size of a cruiser tank, but the armour and speed of an infantry tank. Though its armour was still weaker than the Matilda and, due to its weaker engine, it shared the same top speed, its high reliability and lower cost kept it in the war. ![](http://www.dad.incomingwormhole.com/Valentine/valentine_mk_iii_01.jpg") By 1944, in the European Theater of Operations the Valentine was almost competely replaced in the frontline units by the Churchill and the US-made Sherman. In the Pacific the tank was employed in limited numbers at least until May 1945. There were 12 variants of the Valentine as follows:     |
Wow, you're up early...I think.
I guess you read that dungarees are going to be a thing of the past? The CNO approved a new BDU for naval use. ICK. It makes the wearers blend into the ocean. He also approved a new working uniform that either bastardizes the Marine uniform, or the CPO uniform. I can't tell which, both maybe?
LOL
I'm very late with the Sunday FOG. Spiderboy sang with the youngin's choir, then play in the hand bell chorus at church today.
Afterward, he and I mowed and weedaterized the lawn. Then spread about 40 pounds of lava sand and 20 pounds of dried molasses. We finished up by spareding the lawn-in-a-box Msdrby got me for Chirstmas. In other words, we overseeded the lawn with buffalo grass seed. Hopefully we're on the way to doing in the bermuda.
What's the dried molasses for?
About the only thing that will git rid of bermuda grass is napalm :-) and I wouldn't bet on the napalm.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Soil health in general. Fire ant nuking in particular.
LOL. Thanks alfa6.
The idea is that since buffalo has very deep root, up to 2 feet, it takes less watering. The bermuda dies from lack of water.
That's the idea. It will take a year or two to see if it works.
LOL. I think the Colonel would be scared to see her!
LOL, she is a tad overwhelming.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Yes, much better for a Colonel. ;-)
I was giving Bittygirl a bath earlier. One of thenewcats was hovering around the bathtub. I was concerned she'd end up a swimmer as well.
1. Texas is popularly known as The Lone Star State.
2. The Alamo is located in San Antonio. It is where Texas defenders fell to Mexican General Santa Anna and the phrase Remember the Alamo originated. The Alamo is considered the cradle of Texas liberty and the state's most popular historic site.
3. The lightning whelk is the official state shell.
4. Texas is the only state to have the flags of 6 different nations fly over it. They are: Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States, and the United States.
5. Although six flags have flown over Texas, there have been eight changes of government: Spanish 1519-1685, French 1685-1690, Spanish 1690-1821, Mexican 1821-1836, Republic of Texas 1836-1845, United States 1845-1861, Confederate States 1861-1865, United States 1865-present
6. The King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode Island.
7. During the period of July 24-26, 1979, the Tropical Storm Claudette brought 45 inches of rain to an area near Alvin, Texas, contributing to more than $600 million in damages. Claudette produced the United States 24 hour rainfall record of 43 inches.
8. More wool comes from the state of Texas than any other state in the United States.
9. Edwards Plateau in west central Texas is the top sheep growing area in the country.
10. Texas is the only state to enter the United States by treaty instead of territorial annexation.
11. The state was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845.
12. Texas boasts the nation's largest herd of whitetail deer.
13. A coastal live oak located near Fulton is the oldest tree in the state. The tree has an estimated age of more than 1,500 years.
14. Sam Houston, arguably the most famous Texan, was actually born in Virginia. Houston served as governor of Tennessee before coming to Texas.
15. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state.
16. The first offensive action of the Texas Revolution occurred in Goliad on October 9, 1835 when local colonists captured the fort and town.
17. On December 20, 1835 the first Declaration of Texas Independence was signed in Goliad and the first flag of Texas Independence was hoisted.
18. The Hertzberg Circus Museum in San Antonio contains one of the largest assortments of circusana in the world.
19. The capital city of Austin is located on the Colorado River in south-central Texas. The capitol building is made from Texas pink granite. It served as the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1840-1842.
20. Austin is considered the live music capital of the world.
21. Texas is home to Dell and Compaq computers and central Texas is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of the south.
22. Professional sports teams include the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, Houston Astros, Houston Comets, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Texas Rangers.Uhhh . . . hello? The Houston Texans.
23. Dr Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885. The Dublin Dr Pepper, 85 miles west of Waco, still uses pure imperial cane sugar in its product. There is no period after the Dr in Dr Pepper.
24. The first suspension bridge in the United States was the Waco Bridge. Built in 1870 and still in use today as a pedestrian crossing of the Brazos River.
25. In 1836 five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas: Washington-on-the-Brazos: Harrisburg: Galveston: Velasco: and Columbia. Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in 1837. In 1839 the capital was moved to the new town of Austin.
26. The capitol in Austin opened May 16, 1888. The dome of the building stands seven feet higher than that of the nation's Capitol in Washington, D.C.
27. Texas comes from the Hasinai Indian word tejas meaning friends or allies.
28. The armadillo is the official state mammal.
29. Texas has the first domed stadium in the country. The structure was built in Houston and opened in April 1965.
30. The Houston Comets are the only team in the country to win four back-to-back WNBA championships. 1997-2000 Cynthia Cooper remains the only player to win the WNBA Championship MVP.
31. The worst natural disaster in United States history was caused by a hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900. Over 8000 deaths were recorded.
32. The first word spoken from the moon on July 20, 1969 was Houston.
33. Texas' largest county is Brewster with 6,208 square miles.
34. Texas possesses three of the top ten most populous cities in the United States. These towns are Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
35. El Paso is closer to Needles, California than it is to Dallas.
36. Texas includes 267,339 square miles, or 7.4% of the nation's total area.
37. The state's cattle population is estimated to be near 16 million.
38. More land is farmed in Texas than in any other state.
39. More species of bats live in Texas than in any other part of the United States.
40. Laredo is the world's largest inland port.
41. Port Lavaca has the world's longest fishing pier. Originally part of the causeway connecting the two sides of Lavaca Bay, the center span of was destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961.
42. The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is the world's largest rose garden. It contains 38,000 rose bushes representing 500 varieties of roses set in a 22-acre garden.
43. Amarillo has the world's largest helium well.
44. The world's first rodeo was held in Pecos on July 4, 1883.
45. The Flagship Hotel on Seawall Boulevard in Galveston is the only hotel in North America built entirely over the water.
46. The Heisman trophy is named for John William Heisman the first full-time coach and athletic director at Rice University in Houston.
47. Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other comparable area in North America.
48. The Aransas Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of North America's only remaining flock of whooping cranes.
49. Jalapeno pepper jelly originated in Lake Jackson and was first marketed in 1978.
50. Remember the Alamo; Remember Goliad; Remember Concepción! And San Jacinto; Remember Agua Dulce Creek; Remember Refugio!
Okay, I have been waiting for Texas with baited breath wondering what it would say.
"Remember the Alamo!" was Sam Houston's battle cry at San Jacinto. I seriously doubt that it originated at the Alamo, but rather at San Jacinto in regards to the Alamo.
There are minor league hockey teams in Texas, and then there's the Frisco Roughriders minor league baseball team. Last I heard, minor league was still considered professional.
I cannot believe that there was not a single mention of high school or college football. Hasn't anyone ever heard of Friday Night Lights? Texans (for the most part) thrive on football, seriesly.
And what of NASA? Only a reference in passing that Houston was the first word uttered on the moon? And what about the San Antonio Zoo? It's one of the best in the nation.
Oh yes (even though she was a democrat), Texas elected the first (but the second inaugurated) female governor in the United States: "Ma" Ferguson, who ran for governor when her husband and former governor, "Pa" Ferguson was not nominated. Her campaign was two governors for the price of one.
Bah, there is so much nonsense included and not enough significant trivia.
Bluebonnets and Mockingbirds. (Who cares about the official state shell.)
The Handbook of Texas Online is a wonderful source of Texas Trivia... Much better than this.
Also, there is a hugh Czech community in central Texas. West is considered the Kolache captial of the state. And Fredericksburg has bilingual street signs: German and English.
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