[snippy_about_it]

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

.......Good Sunday Morning Everyone!


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[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone doing at the Foxhole.

[Darksheare]

I'm in.
I seem to remember being told inschool that this was a case of 'Nationlistic fervor'.
Nationalism being then the buzzword.
Even then the schools taught that it was wrong to be proud of your country.
But I digress.
The thinking back then was radically different from what it is today, and is evident with the request for rendering honor to the US flag as an apology.
On it's surface to our thinking today, this was minor and trivial.
Back then, it was extremely insulting and tantemount to an act of war. (The arrest of sailors and removal of same from a US possession, the landing boat.)
It's mind staggering to see the contrast between the thinking then, and the thinking now.
There's more thought along these lines, but I don't want to drone on.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Snippy

[manna]

Present!

[colorado tanker]

Thanks, Sam, for an interesting post about a little remembered incident.

So many connections with the present - I guess my thoughts are along the lines of Darksheare.

Before the Democratic Party split over Vietnam 1968-1972, Democrats supported the military and its use defending the interests of the United States. Wilson acted "unilaterally" to intervene. He didn't ask France and Germany for permission. He succeeded in "regime change."

Interesting tactical issues. This might be the last time Navy landing parties were planned for use in ground combat, except in emergency. From about this time forward that became the province of the Marines exclusively. The Army and Marines didn't "transform" in response to the deployment difficulties in Mexico - after WWI they would enhance the transport capability (which is what we need today).

And wonder of all wonders, we didn't get caught in a "quagmire" in Mexico.

[colorado tanker]

Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, USN, (1885-1973)

Frank Jack Fletcher was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, on 29 April 1885. Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1906, he served in many ships over the next three decades, commanding five destroyers, a battleship and three other ships. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for distinguished conduct during the Vera Cruz intervention in 1914. Fletcher also held several staff positions and shore billets. Promoted to Rear Admiral in the later 1930s, he continued to receive important assignments. In December 1941, during the first weeks of the Pacific War, he commanded the abortive Wake Island relief expedition.

In early January 1942, Rear Admiral Fletcher was given command of a carrier task force with USS Yorktown (CV-5) as his flagship. After supporting the reinforcement of strategically vital South Pacific islands, his task force raided Japanese positions in the Central Pacific, New Guinea and the Solomons. In May and June 1942, he was senior officer present during the battles of Coral Sea and Midway, in which the Japanese fleet was decisively repulsed. As the U.S. took the offensive in August 1942, Vice Admiral Fletcher commanded the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi, and fought the carrier Battle of the Eastern Solomons later in the month.

In November 1942, he became Commander, Thirteenth Naval District and Commander, Northwestern Sea Frontier. A year later, he was placed in charge of the Northern Pacific area, holding that position until after the end of World War II, when his forces occupied northern Japan. Vice Admiral Fletcher's final duty was as Chairman of the General Board, and he was advanced to the rank of Admiral upon retirement in May 1947. Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher died on 25 April 1973.

USS Fletcher (DD-992) was named in honor of Admiral Fletcher.