[Iris7]

This is a good one. Thanks. Looking forward to your telling the Crete story. The Fallschirmyaeger who were there wore their "Kreta" cuffbands with pride. The British commander, Bernard Freyberg of the New Zealand Division, is the only man to ever recieve two awards of the Victoria Cross.

General George Marshall had to read the riot act to Admiral King, Chief of Naval Operations, before King would do his plain duty and protect the east coast shipping and really fight the U-boats in the spring of 1942. This is to the everlasting shame of the United States Naval Service. I for one do not forgive Admiral King, and never will. Nor FDR either.

[SAMWolf]

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

Maybe I can sneak it in somehow.

[SAMWolf]

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

[U S Army EOD]

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

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