The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Major Thomas Howie and the Battle of St. Lo (7/1944) - June 18th, 2003

http://www.citadel.edu/pao/newsreleases/sy02-03/Howie_speech.html ^ | Thread Work by SAMWolf

[snippy_about_it]

Dear Lord,

There's a young man far from home,
called to serve his nation in time of war;
sent to defend our freedom
on some distant foreign shore.

We pray You keep him safe,
we pray You keep him strong,
we pray You send him safely home ...
for he's been away so long.

There's a young woman far from home,
serving her nation with pride.
Her step is strong, her step is sure,
there is courage in every stride.
We pray You keep her safe,
we pray You keep her strong,
we pray You send her safely home ...
for she's been away too long.

Bless those who await their safe return.
Bless those who mourn the lost.
Bless those who serve this country well,
no matter what the cost.

Author Unknown

.

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

.

.................................................................................................................................

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Thomas Dry Howie: A Hero Who Exemplifies Excellence

(Address given at the induction of Thomas Dry Howie
into the South Carolina
Hall of Fame,
February 10, 2003)


Ladies and Gentlemen…

It is indeed a pleasure to be here today to address this distinguished audience and to talk about a native son and alumnus of The Citadel whose life, courage and devotion to duty meet the exemplary standards that qualify him for induction into the South Carolina Hall of Fame. I am speaking, of course, about Thomas Dry Howie, a native of Abbeville, South Carolina; a graduate of The Citadel; a teacher and coach at Staunton Military Academy in Virginia; a major in the United States Army; a husband to Elizabeth Payne Howie; a father to Sally Elizabeth Howie McDevitt; and a faithful man with a good and generous heart who was guided by the Word of God.


The Major of St. Lo
Major Thomas D. Howie

There are many things I could say about Thomas Dry Howie. He is a legend in military circles….known as the Major of Saint Lo as many of you are well aware. A man of many talents, he befriended everyone …qualities that caused his Citadel classmates to elect him president of their senior class and name him "most versatile, most popular and best all-around" in the Class of 1929. He was an athlete, playing football and baseball and also a member of the boxing team.

His leadership became apparent while he was at The Citadel. According to our alumni archives, Howie took to the strong discipline of The Citadel and always put forth his best effort, expecting others to do likewise whether or not they were Citadel cadets.

One of his English professors, Colonel J.G. Harrison, recounted an occasion when Thomas Howie stood by his principles and led the Corps of Cadets on a hunger strike in 1928 to oppose poor mess hall conditions which resulted in cadets being served stale bread for toast and pitchers of syrup with floating lumps that turned out to be dead flies. It goes without saying that organizing cadets to strike at The Citadel is not something one does without serious consideration. But Thomas Howie, being the natural leader that he was, pulled off the strike in a style of peaceful disobedience that broke no laws and eventually forced the administration to take care of problems with the mess hall.

There's another Citadel story about Thomas Howie I must share.


Thomas Dry Howie as a junior from the 1928 Citadel yearbook.

In November of 1928, The Citadel was playing Clemson in its homecoming game. Even at that time, The Citadel was the underdog - a position the Bulldogs usually relish. The prospects of victory were further dimmed by the fact that the Bulldog's star halfback, Tom Howie, was in Columbia the morning of the game, being considered for a Rhodes scholarship.

The interview was supposed to start at 9 o'clock but was delayed for two hours, thereby obliterating any reasonable chance that Howie would be able to get back in time to play. But miraculously, he did it. His 1928 Studebaker arrived in a cloud of dust just as players were lining up.

Howie jumped out, already in uniform, and ran onto the field. He carried the ball in the first running play of the game, speeding directly into and over a Clemson All-American center, and making a first down. His last-minute arrival and unexpected first run so energized the Bulldogs that they became a team of Davids conquering Goliaths, and handing Clemson a stunning upset by winning 12 to 7.

From The Citadel, Thomas Howie went to Staunton Military Academy in Virginia to teach English and coach football. There, he met the woman he would later marry. Thomas Howie and Elizabeth Payne became husband and wife in 1932. Their daughter, Sally, was born in 1938.



Tom Howie was recognized as a brilliant teacher and victorious coach during the eight years he taught at Staunton. He also followed another calling….the calling of service to one's country…when he joined the Virginia National Guard.

He was a second lieutenant in the 116th Infantry of the guard when his unit was called for intensive training in 1941. War was on the horizon.

Then began the next chapter - a final chapter - in Thomas Howie's life.

Saint Lo, a small farming town west of Paris, was a vital transportation hub for the Germans - so important that Hitler had ordered the town to be held at all costs. Major Thomas Howie led the Third Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Division during the Normandy Campaign.


St. Lô shortly after its liberation in 1944.

For 41 days, these brave soldiers slogged across the terrain, measuring their gains foot by foot, fighting hedgerow by hedgerow, field by field and ditch by ditch, often firing at the enemy at pointblank range to claim precious ground. The cost in human lives was staggering in one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War II.

Howie believed his men had earned the right to be the first in Saint Lo but that wish seemed to be thwarted when, on July 17, 1944, Major Howie received orders to relieve the Second Battalion, which had been cut-off at La Madeleine.

It was a tough assignment. His unit had to drive through the infamous Martinville line - overriding German forces that had held for days. But with astonishing skill and speed, Major Howie led his men to accomplish this feat in less than two hours, placing the battalion a mile from the town.

The Germans began a heavy counterattack and rounds of artillery shook the ground as the Americans took cover in foxholes. The young major urged his men to keep down, telling them, "We WILL get to Saint Lo." Major Howie took the battle phone and gave an account of his position to Major General Charles Gerhardt, the commanding general.



According to accounts of that conversation, Howie yelled into the phone over the droning sounds of battle. "The Second can't make it…They're exhausted. They're too cut up."

Then he was heard to say, "Yes…. We can do it. Yes…if we jump off right now. Okay. See you in Saint Lo."

Howie called for his map and gave orders for the attack on Saint Lo. Then came a sudden German mortar barrage. That moment was frozen in the memory of Major Howie's executive officer, Captain William Putenny. Before Thomas Howie took cover, he turned to take one last look around, wanting to be certain that all of his men had their heads down. Suddenly, a mortar shell exploded a few yards away. A fragment struck Major Howie in the back, apparently piercing his lung.

"My God, I'm hit," Howie was heard to say. Then he collapsed, falling into the arms of Captain Putenny. That was on July 17, 1944.

News of his death spread like wildfire among the men who were bolstered in their determination to seize Saint Lo. General Gerhardt remembered Thomas Howie's last statement, "See you in Saint Lo" and ordered his body - still dressed in combat gear - to be placed in an ambulance to ride into Saint Lo.


Infantrymen crouching behind bushes atop a hedgerow

The fierce battle raged and, when the ambulance was needed for the wounded, Thomas Howie's body was placed on a stretcher and transferred to the hood of the leading jeep. As the Third Battalion entered the burning city, his men lifted Major Howie's body from the jeep, and ran through enemy sniping to a nearby church. They placed his body, draped with an American flag, on the rubble of the church wall, and returned to the battle.

These men had claimed for Howie in death what he was denied in life… He was the first into Saint Lo.

In a broadcast on an anniversary of V-E Day, CBS News European Correspondent Andy Rooney said in a report on the Battle of Saint Lo:

More American soldiers were killed taking Saint Lo than were killed on the beaches. A major named Tom Howie was the leader of the battalion that actually captured Saint Lo. At least he was the leader of it until he was killed just outside town. After he died, his men picked him up, carried him into town and placed him on a pile of stones that used to be the wall of a church. I guess there never was an American soldier more honored by what the people who loved him did for him after he died. There can be no doubt that Thomas Howie was a charismatic leader, a courageous soldier and a man of outstanding character.


An aerial view of typical hedgerow terrain in Normandy. Note the irregular-shaped pattern of the fields

Those traits were evident when, eight months before he was killed, Thomas Howie wrote the following letter to his daughter, Sally:

Four days ago, I was placed in command of some 850-odd officers and men, a war-strength battalion, with all its weapons, vehicles and equipment; and the responsibility of some day committing them to battle perhaps from which a number may not return is a fearful thought. If that day should ever arrive, I hope I shall be as proud of them as I've always been of you. And I hope they will be well led.

I cannot honestly say that I hope I shall never have that privilege and responsibility. It's something like football: somebody has to play the game; somebody has to beat the enemy. And all my life, I've tried to make the first team in everything. Sitting on the bench when game time comes is no consolation for weeks of bruising drudgery. I know. I did some bench-sitting initially in everything I set my heart on.

And I've been sitting on the bench and training hard for almost three years now.

Remember what I told you: sit up straight, look people in the eye, and tell the truth.

With all my heart, Your Daddy.

Thomas Howie's memory lives on today.


France - St. Lo. The Paths of Glory - An American flag is draped over the coffin of Maj Thomas Howie, who commanded the 3rd Bn, 116th Inf Regt, killed in the battle for St Lo. The coffin rests on the steps of the cathedral in the city. France, July 20, 1944. #ETO-HQ-44-8236 (Schultz).

In The Citadel's Daniel Library, there is a large mural of "The Major of Saint Lo" painted by David Humphreys Miller. The Thomas Dry Howie Carillon Tower at The Citadel, erected in 1954 through gifts from Robert Hugh Daniel and Charles E. Daniel, contains one of the largest Dutch bell installations in the Western Hemisphere.

The Major Thomas D. Howie Memorial Monument stands in the town of Saint Lo, France.

And in his hometown of Abbeville, directly opposite a statue of John C. Calhoun, is a monument to Thomas Dry Howie with the inscription…"Dead in France; Deathless in Fame."

Thomas Dry Howie was a great South Carolinian who has shown by his example the true meaning of courage, of leadership and of duty. He is a most worthy addition to the South Carolina Hall of Fame.

[snippy_about_it]

The Battle of St. Lo & The Breakout

The 30th Infantry Division was not involved in the initial onslaught of D-Day as were the 1st, 29th & 4th Infantry Divisions and the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, but as time went on, the 30th received their full share of unexpected wartime disasters.



From all historical accounts and much other publicity, the Battle of St. LO was won alone by the 29th Infantry Division, but it must not be overlooked that they had a lot of assistance from the 1st, 35th and 30th Infantry Divisions. Without the assistance of these Divisions, it would have taken much longer, and at a greater loss of lives to the men of the 29th Infantry Division.

This account will cover the major assistance given to the 29th Infantry Division, by the 30th Infantry Division.

The 30th Division was committed to its baptism of fire on 15 June 1944, in a sector previously occupied by the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, with its first headquarters being established at a point just one mile south of Isigny, after leaving Omaha Beach.


An American fighting position in the Bocage. Note the heavy vegetation.

A few small communities were liberated, the Vire et Taute Canal crossed, and the first town, St. Jean-de-Daye, was liberated on 7 July. The Battle for St. LO had begun seriously on 3 July, continuing on for the next few days with fierce hedgerow fighting. In preparation for this great decisive battle, the 30th Infantry Division was assigned the formidable task of taking the high ground, a ridge, just to the west of St. LO.

This was accomplished by 20 July, and thus denied the Germans of their prime observation positions overlooking St. LO, which had been the major deterrent for the 29th Division to enter and liberate the City of St. LO.

With St. LO liberated and in the hands of the 29th Infantry Division, the next major task for the 30th Infantry Division was to create a major breach in the German defensive line, running parallel to the St. LO - Periers highway. This was called "Operation Cobra".



Reorganization had taken place during the short lull in the battle while pre-paring for Operation Cobra which included filling the ranks with new replacements, caused by the many casualties endured in the past month. Each individual and unit was re-supplied with additional equipment and ammunition, in anticipation of the expansion after the planned breakthrough.

Plans and preparations were made and studied thoroughly, so that every man in each unit knew his job and how the overall plan was to work. All we had to wait for was notification of H-Hour on the designated date.

The general plan called for a tremendous air bombardment by the Air Corps, followed by a huge artillery saturation. Then at H-Hour, the 30th was to move forward swiftly through the hedgerows, overcome the Main Line of Resistance of the Germans, creating a wide breach in the MLR. This would allow Gen. George Patton Jr., and his newly formed Third Army to pass through our lines and to exploit the breakthrough, then swiftly proceed southward towards the Brest Peninsula.

In the days immediately preceding the target date, then set for 24 July, Gen. Omar Bradley and others were in England coordinating the battle plan and attack with the Air Corps.



Considerable argument arose concerning the direction of the Air Corps attack and bombing . The Air Corps wanted to bomb head on, perpendicular to the German MLR - the St. LO-Periers highway, as this would allow the least amount of exposure time for the planes to be targeted by the German anti-aircraft artillery. Gen. Bradley disagreed with this approach, as it would be too risky for such close in bombing, in case of a few bombs being dropped short of their target.

He demanded that the Air Corps plan to bomb the MLR from an East to West direction, parallel to the St. LO-Periers highway, thus lessening the possibility of any bombs dropping short, and landing on our troops poised for the jump-off.

The target date of 24 July was set, and H-Hour was set for 11:30 A.M. All was well so far, with everything and everybody in readiness to jump off, including Gen. Patton and his Third Army. A few hours prior to H-Hour, all of the troops of the 30th were withdrawn 1,200 yards to the North, just in case, and to allow for any mis-directed bombs or artillery shells dropping short.


Tank, modified with iron teeth, cuts through the bocage. (National Archives)

About one hour before H-Hour, there were over 50 Battalions of artillery of various caliber, firing into the target area. The heaviest artillery barrage since the Omaha Beach landings.

At 15 minutes prior to the H-Hour, the 30th Division Artillery fired a preparation of red smoke shells, to be dropped on the southern side of the St. LO-Periers highway. This was to more clearly define the Bomb-Line for the Air Corps.

Disaster was about to strike !!

[snippy_about_it]

As soon as the red smoke shells were fired, landed and exploded, and the red smoke began to disperse along the MLR and highway, just as it was planned, a slight breeze from the South came up, and the smoke began to slowly drift back towards the north. In just a matter of minutes, the red smoke was on top of our 30th Division men, waiting for H-Hour.



When the planes left England, they were operating under radio silence, and there was no means established at that time, to reach the planes, to divert or call off the bombing. Ground to Air liaison was later established, due to this incident, but even then, it was not totally perfected.

At this very same time, the high pitched drone of the engines of over 350 P-47's, followed by the deeper drone of 1,500 heavy bombers could be heard, coming from the North! Not from the East as had been planned and expected.

Since there was no Ground to Air liaison or contact, and since the planes were required to maintain radio silence from the time they left England, until their mission was accomplished, there was no way whatsoever to warn them about the northward drift of the red smoke, and to request that they bomb the area south of the red smoke and the St. LO-Periers highway.



As the armada of planes reached the designated target area, bombs began to be released, raining down directly on the "red smoke line", and our 30th Division troops!

Such a tragedy!! Could it have been avoided? Why did the Air Corps, after agreeing to bomb parallel to the MLR, did they bomb perpendicular to the MLR? Who was responsible for this decision change? Perhaps we will never know nor get any satisfactory answers.

On 24 July, the 120th Regiment sustained 24 men killed and 128 wounded ; the 119th Regiment had 5 killed and 28 wounded, as a result of this tragedy, but the 117th Regiment escaped because they were in reserve at this particular time. Other Divisions to our right and left, also sustained some losses, but the 30th being in the center of the line, the main point of the planned breakthrough, took the heaviest losses.

It was a tremendously demoralizing blow to the men of the 30th! But, quite naturally, the planned attack at H-Hour on that day at 11:30 AM was cancelled. It was immediately decided to execute the same attack plan the following day, 25 July, with the infantry to jump of in the attack at 11:00 AM. In such a short time, it was extremely difficult to reorganize, resupply and integrate a few available replacements and be ready for this second attempt at the same plan at H-Hour on the 25th.


German hedgerow defense

The next morning arrived, bright and sunny, as on the day before. All was in readiness: Troops were withdrawn their 1,200 yards, artillery poured its barrage on the designated target areas and marked the MLR with red smoke shells and they awaited H-Hour.

Unknown to most, only one thing was different. In recent days, Lt. Gen. Leslie Mc Nair who had recently left his post in Washington as C.G. Army Ground Forces, was assigned to a newly created position and found himself at the Hq. of the 2nd Battalion of the 120th Infantry Regiment, where the most casualties had occurred the day before. His purpose was to observe the actions and readiness of the troops and the air drop, to see if it could be determined what went wrong on the previous day, and how it could possibly have been prevented.

The preparation time had arrived and the "red smoke shells" went out, falling directly on the predesignated targets, the MLR just south of the St. LO-Periers highway. Again, much to their dismay, the slight southerly breeze came up, drifting the red smoke back about 1,200 yards, right on top of our troops, just as it had the day before!

The sound of the droning planes were again heard to the North. With the clear sky, it was easy to see the relatively low flying bombers, as they opened their bomb bays, and the bombs began falling out. To their horror, they were being dropped right on our troops once again.



For a second day in a row, tragedy struck the 30th Infantry Division, with 64 more men killed and 374 wounded and 60 missing in action. Those missing in action, were presumably buried alive in this bombing, and were later uncovered and accounted for. Some received direct hits in their foxholes, and were totally vaporized. To add to this tragedy, Lt. Gen. Leslie Mc Nair was killed in this action! Such a tragic loss to occur on the 1st day of his combat observation.

Now what to do? Cancel again? Go ahead with the attack? These were the questions facing not only the 30th Division, but questions facing the adjacent Divisions who had not been affected by the bombing, but were in complete readiness to jump off at H-Hour, and the Corps and Army Headquarters.

Quickly the decision was made - to go ahead with the attack as planned. The Germans "had been warned" for two days in a row, and the element of surprise was entirely gone by now.

Hastily, the front line units were reorganized as best they could under the circumstances, but there were no replacements available nor was there time for re-supplying and re-equipping the troops. They would just have to do the best that they could with what they had.



Thus, a poorly led, equipped and demoralized army of men went forward to do the best that they could do.

They found that the Germans were not as badly hurt as they had anticipated, were well dug in, and held their defensive positions very well, but in short order, their MLR was breached. It was found that the Germans had been unable to move any armor up to the front, or additional replacements, so there was little depth to the MLR. Once it had been breached, the way was open for Patton and his Third Army to break through and head for Brest.

The 30th Infantry Division was soon pinched out of the front line and went into reserve for the first time since their combat action began on 15 June. After these past 49 days, the men had the opportunity to get a shower - a first for everyone - replace clothing and equipment, take in replacements for the casualties of the bombing and breaching the MLR and a short but well deserved rest. A U.S.O. show and movies were available for most and was a welcome change of activity.



The rest period was short lived, as the 30th was called upon to hurriedly entruck southward toward Mortain. Their mission was to relieve the 1st Infantry Division, which was in a quiet defensive position, but holding a critical pivot point on Hill #314. All was Quiet here !! The 1st Division was to be transferred and join Patton's Third Army to head for Malo and Brest. They bid us good bye and wished us well.

Little did they know what they had left behind.

Frank W. Towers
Exec. Sec-Treas.
30th Inf. Div. Assoc

Additional Sources:

www.30thinfantry.org
www.army.mil
sma-alumni.org
www.citadel.edu
www.dean.usma.edu
www-cgsc.army.mil
www.valourandhorror.com
www.737thtankbattalion.org
www.milartgl.com
www.military-art.com
capefearww2.uncwil.edu
silkscape.com

[snippy_about_it]

A GENERAL OFFICER WRITES as follows of the fighting in July:

“I doubt if anyone who ever ducked bullets and shells in the hedgerows, waded through the mud on foot, and scrambled over the hedgerows never knowing when he might find himself looking into the muzzle of a German tank gun, will look back on those days with any remembered feeling other than of the deadly unrelenting fatigue and danger. Except when the Germans counterattacked, there was so little result to show for so much suffering; just a few hedgerows gained, each one just like those already behind and those still to take.”

There had been nothing glamorous about First Army's painful battle through the hedgerows. With use of air power limited by weather, and the effectiveness of tanks reduced by the terrain, the fighting came down to a matter of the artillery bludgeoning and the infantry pushing through an endless series of defended fields and orchards. In this close country, with so much cover and concealment, there was endless opportunity for superior forces to be tied down by a handful of resolute enemy snipers. In modern warfare, with modern weapons, battles are fought ordinarily at such ranges that opposing forces may seldom see each other.

Here, in Normandy, bitter actions were often fought by units only 50 to 100 yards apart, with tanks and self-propelled guns in the front lines. But, even so, the American and German troops might not see each other in the course of a day's fight-except for the bodies left behind in a withdrawal. Whole squads, as well as individual snipers, could hide in the leafy embankments, and there was opportunity for use of daring tactics, such as might have been used in Indian fighting, by patrols and scouts on either side.


The memorial honoring Major Howie, in St. Lo, France

For most of the American soldiers, it had been a thankless, miserable, disheartening battle. It was, perhaps, particularly hard on fresh divisions, coming into their first action with the zest and high morale born of long training and of confidence in their unit. Many units were- or felt they were-wrecked by the losses that hit them in the course of a few days' fighting, wiping out key men, sometimes nearly all company officers in a battalion, or sergeants in a company. The close ties within a unit, built up by long association, were broken irreparably; new officers and new men had to be assimilated in the midst of battle, sometimes on a wholesale scale. Yet the shock was met and surmounted; units that lost 30 percent of strength or more in a week, were kept in line and went on fighting.

The losses taken by XIX Corps units in the advance to St-Lo were representative of those suffered by all First Army divisions engaged in the Battle of the Hedgerows. From the opening of the offensive on 7 July through the 22d of that month, the 30th Division had 3,934 casualties; the 29th’s ran to 3,706; the 35th’s were 2,437. If the figures of the 2d Division for its two days' battle at Hill 192 are included, and those of the 3d Armored Division, the total comes to nearly 11,000 killed, wounded, and missing. These losses were taken for gains of three to seven miles on the corps front.

[snippy_about_it]

[snippy_about_it]

.......FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!

.......Good Morning Everyone!


If you would like added or removed from our ping list let me know.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning snippy, Sam, FOXHOLE residents.

Have a great day!

[E.G.C.]

Good Morning, Snippy. Didn't see your post there in my "Your Comments" Deal.(LOL)

The weather's nice this morning. forcast to go into the 80's today.:-D

[snippy_about_it]

My goodness. Is it still not there? I know you are on my list.

I'll double check when I get home. Good morning.

[snippy_about_it]

Morning feather. Nice graphic. You have a good day, too.

[snippy_about_it]

I see now what your are saying. It doesn't appear to be working. I show "new post" highlighted but you have to come into the thread to see your post. Hmmmm.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on June 18:
1681 Feofan Prokopovich theologian, archbishop of Novgorod, westernizer
1799 William Lassell discoverer (satellites of Uranus & Neptune)
1812 Ivan Goncharov Russia, novelist/travel writer (Oblomov)
1857 Henry Clay Folger Jr US, businessman/Shakespeare fan
1877 James Montgomery Flagg illustrator "I want you" recruiting poster
1886 George Mallory England, mountain climber ("because it is there")
1896 Blanche Sweet Chicago, actress (Home Sweet Home, Avenging Conscience)
1896 Philip Barry US, dramatist (Philadelphia Story)
19-- Brian Benben Winchester Va, actress (Gangster Chronicles)
19-- Constance McCashin Chic Ill, actress (Laura-Knots Landing)
19-- Hugo Napier actor (As the World Turns)
19-- Miriam Flynn Cleve Ohio, actress (Tim Conway Show, Maggie)
19-- Oz Fox rock guitarist (Stryper-Against the Law)
19-- Robin Christopher (All My Children)
19-- Susan Styles Ventura Calif, actress (Cutter to Houston)
19-- Tom Reilly Fort Riley Ks, actor (CHiPs)
1901 Jeanette MacDonald actress/singer (When I'm Calling You)
1901 Jimmy Dale Bronx NYC, orch leader (Sonny & Cher)
1904 Keye Luke Canton China, actor (Across the Pacific, Yangtse Incident)
1904 Manuel Rosenthal Paris France, composer (Bootleggers)
1906 Kay Kyser Rocky Mount NC, orch leader (Kay Kyser's Kollege)
1907 Benny Payne Phila, pianist (Billy Daniels Show)
1907 Froelich Rainey Wisc, quiz moderator (What in the World)
1908 Bud Collyer NYC, TV emcee (Beat the Clock, To Tell the Truth)
1910 Avon Long Balt Md, actor (Roots: Next Generation)
1910 Dick Foran Flemington NJ, actor (OK Crackerby)
1910 E.G. Marshall actor (Defenders, Nixon, Absolute Power)
1910 Ray McKinley Ft Worth Tx, orch leader (Glenn Miller Time)
1912 Henry Brandon Berlin Germany, actor (Drums of Fu Manchu)
1913 Sammy Cahn lyricist (3 Coins in a Fountain)
1913 Sylvia Porter financial writer (Sylvia Porter's Money Book)
1917 Richard Boone LA Calif, actor (Paladin-Have Gun Will Travel)
1918 Bob Carroll singer/actor (Stage Two Revue, The Stranger)
1919 Mel Brandt Bkln NY, actor (Faraway Hill)
1922 Donald L Keene NYC, Japanese translator/critic
1925 Robert Arthur Aberdeen Wash, actor (12 O'Clock High, Just For You)
1926 Tom Wicker columnist (NY Times)
1929 Eva Bartok Budapest Hungary, actress (Assassin, Crimson Pirate)
1933 Jean Wicki Switzerland, 4-man bobsled (Olympic-gold-1972)
1937 Gail Godwin US, author (Perfectionists, Odd Woman)
1937 John D (Jay) Rockefeller IV (Sen-III)
1937 Vitali M Zholobov cosmonaut (Soyuz 21)
1939 Lou Brock one-time baseball stolen base leader (St Louis Cards)
1942 Paul McCartney rocker, Beatles, writes silly love songs
1942 Rogert Ebert Urbana Ill, film critic (Siskel & Ebert at the Movies)
1947 Linda Thorson Toronto, actress (Tara-Avengers, Julia-1 Life to Live)
1952 Carol Kane Cleveland Ohio, actress (Dog Day Afternoon, Simka-Taxi)
1952 Isabella Rossellini actress (Blue Velvet, Tough Guys Don't Dance)
1957 Andrea Evans actress (Young & Restless, Tina-One Life to Live)
1958 Daniels Koran saxophonist (Atlantic Star-Touch a 4 Leaf Clover)
1961 Alison Moyet rocker (Yaz, Alf)
1962 Janice Merrill track star (US record long distance holder 1979)
1963 Bruce Smith NFL defensive end (Buffalo Bills)
1971 Nathan Morris [Alex Vanderpool], Phila Pa, rapper (Boyz II Men)
1974 Bumper Robinson actor (Webster, Night Court)

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Deaths which occurred on June 18:
741 Leo III de Isaurier, Byzantine Emperor (717-41), dies
1291 Alfonso III, King of Aragon (1285-91), dies
1880 John Sutter, US colonist (gold discovered on his land), dies at 77
1902 Samuel Butler, British writer (Eerewhon), dies
1916 Helmuth J L von Moltke, German chief general of staff, dies
1928 Roald E G Amundsen, Norwegian pole explorer, dies
1936 Maksim Gorki, [Alexei M Peshkov], Russian writer (Mother), dies
1937 Gaston Doumergue, premier/president of France (1913..34), dies
1945 Colonel Roberts, commandant 22nd regiment marines, dies in battle
1959 Ethel Barrymore actress, dies at 79
1974 Georgi Zhukov Russian Marshal (WW II), dies at 78
1975 Faisal Ibn Mussed Abdul Aziz Saudi prince, beheaded in Riyadh shopping center parking lot for killing his uncle the king
1982 Curt Jurgens actor, dies of an acute heart attack at 66
1991 Joan Caulfield actress (My Favorite Husband), dies of cancer at 69

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1965 ARMOND ROBERT L. SAN MATEO CA.
1965 GUILLORY EDWARD J. DE RIDDER LA.
1965 GEHRIG JAMES M. JR. WILLIAMSPORT PA.
1965 LOWRY TYRRELL G. PORTLAND OR.
1965 MARSHALL JAMES A. NEWARK NY.
1965 NEVILLE WILLIAM E. EL CAJON CA.
1965 ROBERTS HAROLD J. JR. PORTLAND OR.
1965 WATSON FRANK P. OKLAHOMA CITY OK.
1967 LEMMONS WILLIAM E. POCATELLO ID.
1967 MC KITTRICK JAMES C. LAURENS SC.
1968 RAVENCRAFT JAMES ALVIN CLARINGTON OH.
[02/69 REMAINS RECOVERED]
1970 DRAKE CARL WILSON ROSEVILLE OH.
1970 GREEN JAMES A. BOYNTON OK.
1970 MC LAMB HARRY LAWRENCE LUDOWICI GA.
1971 BIDWELL BARRY A. GREENSBURG PA.
["CRASH IN WATER, NO RADIO, NO SURV"]
1971 DE BLASIO RAYMOND V. WEST HEMPSTEAD NY.
["CRASH IN WATER, NO RADIO, NO SURV"]
1971 PAINTER JOHN R. JR. VINEYARD HAVEN MA.
["CRASH IN WATER, NO RADIO, NO SURV"]

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

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On this day...
In 860, Vikings from Russia repulsed in an attack on Constantinople
1155 Pope Adrian IV crowns Frederick I Barbarossa Roman-German Emperor
1178 Proposed time of origin of lunar crater Giordano Bruno 5 Canterbury monks report explosion on the moon (only such observation known)
In 1429, The English, retreating after the siege of Orleans, were attacked and defeated by French forces under Joan of Arc and Duc D'Alencon at the battle of Patay.
In 1538, Treaty of Nice: ends war between Emperor Charles V & King French I.
1583 Richard Martin of London takes out 1st life insurance policy, on
William Gibbons. The premium was œ383
1778 British Redcoats evacuate Phila
In 1798, the slogan "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute" is first used by Robert Goodloe Harper as a toast (refers to the XYZ Affair).
1812 War of 1812 begins as US declares war against Britain
1815 Battle of Waterloo; Napoleon defeated by Wellington & Blcher
1821 The opera "Der Freischtz" is produced (Berlin)
1822 Part of US-Canadian boundary determined
1863 After long neglect, Confederates hurriedly fortify Vicksburg
1864 At Petersburg, Grant ends 4 days of assaults
1872 Woman's Sufferage Convention held at Merchantile Liberty Hall
1873 Susan B Anthony fined $100 for attempting to vote for President
1878 C H F Peters discovers asteroid #188 Menippe
1892 Macademia nuts 1st planted in Hawaii
1898 Amusement pier opens, Atlantic City, NJ
1903 1st transcontinental auto trip begins in SF; arrives NY 3-mo later
1915 Jerome Travers becomes the 2nd amateur to win golf's US Open
1916 Yanks score in every inning but 8th beat Indians 19-3
1928 Amelia Earhart is 1st woman (passenger) to cross Atlantic by air
1934 US Highway planning surveys nationwide authorized
1936 1st bicycle traffic court in America established, Racine, WI
1940 Winston Churchill urges perseverance so that future generations
would remember that "this was their finest hour"
1942 Bernard W Robinson, becomes 1st black ensign in US Navy
1942 Eric Nessler of France stays aloft in a glider for 38h21m
1945 William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw) Brit radio traitor charged with treason
1947 Cincinatti Red Ewell Blackwell no-hits Boston Braves, 6-0
1948 American Library Association adopts the Library Bill of Rights
1948 National Security Council authorizes covert operations for 1st time
1948 Phillies pitching great Robin Roberts debut, loses 2-0 to Pirates
1948 UN Commission on Human Rights adopts Intl Decl of Human Rights
1953 Egypt proclaimed a republic, General Neguib becomes president
1953 Eugene Stephens gets 3 hits & Red Sox score 17 runs in 1 inning (7th)
1953 USAF C124 Globemaster crashes near Tokyo killing 129 servicemen
1956 Last of foreign troops leaves Egypt
1957 John Diefenbacker (C) takes office as PM of Canada
1959 1st telecast transmitted from England to US
1960 Giants hire Tom Sheehan as baseball's oldest debuting manager (66)
1963 3,000 blacks boycot Boston public school
1967 Houston Don Wilson no-hits Atlanta Braves, 2-0
1968 Supreme Court bans racial discrimination in sale & rental of housing
1972 BEA Trident crashes after takeoff from Heathrow killing 118
1973 NCAA makes urine testing mandatory for participants
1975 Fred Lynn gets 10 RBIs in a Red Sox 15-1 victory over Tigers
1976 NBA & ABA agree to merge
1977 Billy Martin & Reggie Jackson get into a dug out altercation
1977 Space Shuttle test model "Enterprise" carries a crew aloft
for 1st time, It was fixed to a modified Boeing 747
1979 Billy Martin becomes Yankee manager (2nd time), replacing Bob Lemon
1980 "Blues Brothers" with Dan Akwoyd & John Belushi premiers
1980 C Shoemaker discovers asteroid #2891 McGetchin
1980 E Bowell discovers asteroid #2569 Madeline
1980 Mrs Shakuntala Devi mentally multiplies 2 13-digit #s in 28 sec
1981 Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart retires (replaced by Sandra
Day O'Connor, 1st woman on high court)
1982 Voting Rights Act of 1965 extended by Senate by 85-8 vote
1983 7th Shuttle Mission-Challenger 2 launched-Sally Ride 1st US woman
1983 IRA's Joseph Doherty arrested in NYC
1984 Perth Observatory discovers asteroid #3541
1986 52 die in plane/helicopter collision over Grand Canyon
1986 Don Sutton becomes 19th pitcher to win 300 games
In 1989, John Wayne Bobitt marries Lorena L Gallo (Bride receives a set of kitchen knives)
1989 Comet Churyunov-Gerasimenko at perihelion
1989 Curtis Strange wins his 2nd US golf open
1990 1st ever lose for Cameroon in the World Cup, USSR-4 Cameroon-0
1990 1st sudden death US Open Golf Championship is won by Hale Irwin
1991 Pres Zachary Taylors body is exhumed to test how he died
1991 SF Giant pitcher Dave Dravecky's cancerous left arm is amputated
1991 Yankee pitchers pick-off 3 Toronto Blue Jays

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

Egypt : Evacuation Day (1956)
US : Father's Day (Remind the guy how much you care) - - - - - ( Sunday )

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Religious Observances
RC : Commemoration of SS Mark & Marcellianus, martyrs
RC : Commemoration of St Ephrem, confessor, doctor
Ang : Commem of Bernard Mizeki, catechist, martyr in Rhodesia

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Religious History
1464 Pius II led a brief 'crusade' into Italy, against the Turks. However, he soon became ill and died, before the rest of his allies arrived. Soon after, the three-centuries-old 'crusades mentality' among European Christians came to an end.
1781 The first Baptist church established in Kentucky was organized at Elizabethtown. (Kentucky was first visited by Baptist missionaries in 1772 when Squire Boone, brother of explorer Daniel Boone, began exploring the eastern Kentucky regions.)
1819 Birth of Samuel Longfellow, an American clergyman who composed the words to the hymn, 'Father, Give Thy Benediction.'
1830 Birth of Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane, an orphaned Scottish poet who penned two of the most haunting hymns in the English language: 'Beneath the Cross of Jesus' and 'The Ninety and Nine.'
1906 Birth of Gordon Lindsay, missions pioneer. In 1948 Lindsay and he wife Freda founded Christ for the Nations, an interdenominational foreign missions support agency.

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

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Thought for the day :"
"Food is an important part of a balanced diet."

[E.G.C.]

It appears the problem has been fixed. It's updating with each I type or is sent to me now.

[snippy_about_it]

Yes. I see now. Thank goodness. lol.

[manna]

Present!

[snippy_about_it]

:)

[HiJinx]

[CholeraJoe]

Reporting as ordered, ma'am. /snappy salute.

[snippy_about_it]

lol.

You don't know how bad I needed that this morning.

Cute.

:)

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you! I like a guy that follows orders. LOL!

Good morning.

[HiJinx]

Every cloud has a silver lining...

Just be sure the silver lining isn't another plane on an opposite heading!!

(Inside joke for my son...you two met awhile back, right?)