The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The U.S. Merchant Marine in Vietnam - May 22nd, 2004

http://www.usmm.org/index.html ^

[snippy_about_it]

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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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

Military Sea Transportation Service
(MSTS)

In February 1951 the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) aircraft carrier Windham Bay, was the first large ship to navigate the Long Tam River since 1925. While the ship was docked at Saigon (French Indochina) 17 hand grenades were tossed at the ship by terrorists.

The Military Sea Transportation Service was established in 1949 to provide sea transportation to the military as a successor to the Army Transportation Service. MSTS operated a fleet of ships and had charter agreements with commercial shipping firms. MSTS was succeeded by Military Sealift Command.

In 1954, after the partitioning of Vietnam, MSTS evacuated Vietnamese refugees from North to South Vietnam. USNS Howze was one of many MSTS ships involved in "Passage to Freedom" bringing 300,000 refugees and 200,000 tons of Cargo from North Vietnam.

The Military Sea Transportation Service had the job of bringing war supplies to Vietnam -- 10,000 miles from the Pacific coast. MSTS had four separate customers to serve: the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. MSTS ships were staffed by "civilian" crews, but carried 95% of the supplies used by our Armed Forces in Vietnam including bombs and ammunition into combat zones under fire. Crew members were given Navy grades and rank identification in event of enemy capture. During Vietnam, MSTS first utilized roll-on/roll-off ships and container ships which speeded loading and unloading.

SS Overseas Rose with landing barges lashed across her deck

MSTS took about 100 Victory ships out of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (mothball fleet), repaired them, and assigned them to private companies for operation to carry ammunition across the Pacific. MSTS carried guns, tanks, trucks, trains, riverboats, barges, helicopters, bombers, fighters, reconnaissance planes, food, fuel, and medical supplies. By 1965 MSTS had 300 freighters and tankers supplying Vietnam, with an average of 75 ships and over 3,000 merchant mariners in Vietnamese ports at any time.

Early in the Vietnam War, troop ships such as the USNS Upshur, Geiger, and Gordon carried two thirds of U.S. troops to Vietnam; later, most American troops traveled by air. However, Korean troops were transported by MSTS throughout the war, with the first 2,000 coming on the MSTS Mann in March 1965. In August 1966 USNS Patch and Darby carried troops 12,500 miles from Boston to Vietnam, the longest trooplift in U.S. military history. In October 1966 the converted Liberty ship SS Benjamin Chew and the SS Meredith Victory were added as troop carriers. Men and equipment of the Army 1st Cavalry Division went to Vietnam aboard the baby flattops USNS Kula Gulf and Point Cruz which were taken out of mothballs to transport the 434 aircraft and other equipment. Other escort carriers which saw WWII duty included the USNS Core, Card, Croatan, and Breton.

Da Nang harbor was the home of the Marine Amphibious Force Logistic Command which handled the gear necessary to support 81,000 Marines. MSTS brought 96% of their war materiel including tanks, airplanes, ammunition, and food -- including ice cream.


USNS Point Cruz loaded with CH-47 helicopters, F-5 fighters and truck trailers in 1968

Between 1965 and 1969, MSTS carried 7.6 million tons of supplies for the Air Force, about half going directly to Vietnam, the rest to staging areas in the Pacific. MSTS delivered the goods "Special Express" and kept some of its 19 ammunition ships anchored offshore near combat areas as floating warehouses to ease storage problems experienced by the Air Force. SEA Express was the name of the program which delivered other Air Force supplies from Oakland, California to Saigon between 1965 and 1967, in an average of 23 days.


Damaged SS Baton Rouge Victory under tow

In 1965, US Coast Guard Squadron One, composed of 17 patrol boats was sealifted to the Philippines for Vietnam duty on the SS Pioneer Myth, SS Transcaribbean, SS Aloha State, and the SS Ocean Cloud. MSTS delivered bulldozers, cranes, steel and cement for use by Navy Seabees. MSTS and the Merchant Marine transported oil and aviation gas to support Navy fleet operations.

In 1968 MSTS sealifted 19 million tons (39 billion pounds) of cargo to Vietnam for the Army at a cost of $570 million. The MSTS Corpus Christi Bay, which housed an Army aviation-maintenance battalion, was positioned as necessary along the coast of Vietnam to provide aircraft maintenance facilities.

MSTS and chartered ships delivered to many ports in Vietnam during this "War Without a Front." The following were among the 46 precautions to be taken by the crew of the SS President Garfield (and other ships) during the particularly hazardous 35 mile river transit to Saigon:

• Bridge personnel in helmets and flak suits.
• Sandbags around bridge. Wheelhouse doors and windows open.
• Grenade screens secured on portholes.
• Engineers to go to full engine speed at first indication of attack without notifying bridge.
• Only necessary persons on duty in Engine Room or on open deck. Off duty crew spread out in alleyways.
• Purser standing by with medical kit.
• Fire fighting equipment ready.
• Bilge and ballast pumps warmed up, ready to use.
• Towing wires ready for tow without assist from ship crew. Both anchors ready for dropping.
  

Security for arrival of the USNS Core in Saigon, whose sister ship, USNS Card, was sunk in 1964 by a mine placed by skin divers

Just as in World War II and Korea, merchant mariners in Vietnam were subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Effective December 1966, the military was granted authority to take disciplinary action against merchant mariners.

In 1975 MSTS helped evacuate refugees from Da Nang and later, Saigon. On March 28, 1975 the Pioneer Commander, the Pioneer Contender and the Navy's U.S.S. Miller evacuated about 10,000 refugees each. Returning the next day when the Communists had already overrun Da Nang, the ships evacuated thousands more.

On May 12, 1975, the SS Mayaguez was seized by Kmer Rouge. US marines suffered heavy casualties during the attempted rescue of the 39 seamen and the ship. Six mariner volunteers from the USNS Greenville Victory received Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for their role during the action.
Capture and Release of SS Mayaguez by Khmer Rouge forces in May 1975.


Harbor at Cam Ranh Bay

A Special Thanks to Dan and Toni Horodysky,
Who so graciously allowed me permission to use the information on their Site.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

Memorial to Mariners who died on the SS Baton Rouge Victory

Vietnam action and casualties (names of dead or missing mariners)

USNS Windham Bay 2-51	17 hand grenades thrown at ship while docked in Saigon
SS Bunker Hill 3-7-64 *	Tanker exploded, burned , and sank. Old Navy sunken bomb suspected.	Capt. M. J. Abraham R. H. Blake, Harold Schmidt, Ronald Lockwood, Robert Smith killed
USNS Card 5-2-64	Baby flattop sunk by mine near Saigon
SS Bengal Mail 9-22-65	Saigon	George Bogdanovich
SS Express Baltimore 12-65	O'Laughlin and Bailon went ashore in Qhi Nhon or Da Nang in order to fetch the Captain, as the ship had received orders to shift to another location. They were apparently captured. O'Laughlin's remains were found in a grave at Hon Gan Point. Bailon is still listed on the Library of Congress database as a POW/MIA. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pow/powquery.html	Ruben Bailon Stephen O'Laughlin (Third mate)
SS Lorinda 2-66	Ambush
SS Baton Rouge Victory 8-23-66	Limpet mine placed on hull by swimmer and detonated from riverbank near Saigon killed engine room crew. Left 12 by 45 foot hole	Raymond Barrett John A. Bishop Earl Erickson James W. McBride Timothy N. Riordan Robert J. Rowe Charles B. Rummel
SS Eugene Lykes between 6-66 and 9-66	Sniper fire during passage up the Saigon River
SS Young American 10-11-66	Riding in a jeep that hit a land mine while ashore	Daniel J. McConalogue*
SS Enid Victory 12-20-66	Explosion in engine room of ammunition ship en route to Vietnam	(name of second assistant engineer unknown)
SS Margaret Brown 2-67	Explosion in engine room while at Qui Nhon harbor	Charles R. Sandino
SS Berea Victory 10-25-67	Bombs placed in hold and in "Mike" boat by Vietnamese civilians while docked at Qui Nhon. Explosion and fire kill 12 in LCM and 5 Army on ship. 10 Army and 10 mariners wounded.
SS President Buchanan 11-18-67	"Considerable" damage from gunfire in Long Tau River
SS ----- 12-1-67	Saigon	Isiah Harris
SS Seatrain Texas 12-67	Damaged by "floating explosive device" while anchored at Nha Be near Saigon
SS Cornell Victory 1967	Saigon	---- Findley ---- Ripp
SS U.S. Tourist 2-14-68	Ammunition ship hit by 9 shells at Cat Lai. Minor injuries and damage
SS U.S. Explorer 2-18-68 SS Neva West	Guerrillas hit both ships with 75mm shells
Tug Michael 4-7-68	En route to Vung Tau	James Almony Wallace Prous
SS ----- 5-2-68		Larry Kelly
SS Whittier Victory approx. 3-68 to 6-68	Mortar and rocket attack while in harbor at Newport, upstream from Saigon
SS Transglobe 8-30-68	Saigon River. Captain awarded Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding action while under repeated attacks 1968-1969	Ernie Goo
SS U.S. Defender 11-17-68	Da Nang	Jack Bernard
SS Empire State 11-68?	Explosion and fire in engine room en route Da Nang killed Third Engineer	Eugene Green [or Greene]**
USNS Geiger 11-68?	First Officer was lost overboard while carrying Republic of Korea troops from Pusan to Qui Nhan and Na Trangh	name not known
33 attacks on merchant ships including SS Robin Grey 1-1-69 to 5-17-69	33 attacks on shipping between Saigon and Vung Tau. These attacks were of rocket, rocket grenade, mine or MG fire. On 12 May 69 Five Merchant ships and two US Navy supply ships were attacked in three major rivers in IV Corps. Five of the ships were attacked on the Long Tau with only SS Robin Grey being hit causing minor damage and wounding one merchant seaman. The Navy ships were hit on the My Tho and Bassac rivers causing minor damage and wounding two seamen.
USNS Truman Kimbro 8-11-69	Rocket hit ammunition ship near Cat Lai in the Saigon river
Dredge Davidson 11-17-69		Willie Williams
Swarthmore Victory 1969	Several direct hits from an ambush
SS Badger State 12-26-69	Explosion among 8,900 bombs and rockets while en route to Vietnam. Crew forced to abandon ship in gale, bomb rolled out of hole created by explosion, capsizing liferaft.	Mohamed Al-Muwallad Gilbert Baker Sam A. Bondy, Jr. (third mate) Bennie Brown Joseph Candos Leonard Cobbs Nelson Fabre Ali Abda Gazaly Richard D. Hughes Edward Hottendorf John Jenkins Edwin Jones John Kaleiwahen Richard Murray Francisco Nunez Raymond Reiche Floyd Rilling Jose Rodriguez Calvin Smith Leonard Scypion Kinnie Woods Robert Ziehm
USNS Petrarca 2-26-70	Floating mine exploded under ammunition ship in Cat Lai harbor; 2 crew injured
SS Madaket 4-9-71	Ship caught fire while unloading cargo of fire bombs
SS American Hawk 6-14-71	Underwater explosion beneath hull while docked at Qui Nhon
SS Green Bay 8-17-71	Sank after underwater explosion of Vietcong frogman's device while discharging military supplies in Qui Nhon
SS Seatrain New Jersey	Notorius for being shot up more than any other U.S. merchant ship. Had many symbols of rockets and mortar bombs painted on her bridge wing, each denoting an attack

Casualty list of 55 dead or missing in action in Vietnam compiled by Professor Michael Gillen, Pace University and by American Merchant Marine at War **personal correspondence. * uncertain if Bunker Hill was in Vietnam service. . We would appreciate additional information about action and casualties in Vietnam.
Updated 1/18/03

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Today's Educational Sources and suggestions for further reading:
www.USMM.org
The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the U.S. Merchant Marine in Vietnam - Jan. 2nd, 2003

[snippy_about_it]

Vietnam Mariners Lack Veteran Status

U.S. Merchant Marine served on ships that brought supplies to Vietnam during "The War Without a Front." They brought mail, Hueys, ammunition, food, medical supplies, and more. They brought the troops in and brought home many of those named on the Vietnam Memorial, "The Wall."

These mariners were killed by mines, rockets, snipers, and explosions. Some are Missing in Action and presumed dead. They paid the Supreme Sacrifice while serving their country. They should be recognized as veterans. Their names belong on The Wall.

Click on the graphic to visit the Merchant Marine Org Site
This excellent site has plenty of information about the American Merchant Marine at War
U.S. Maritime Service,
Army Transport Service,
Military Sea Transportation Service,
and Military Sealift Command

[snippy_about_it]

'[Mariners] have written one of its most brilliant chapters. They have delivered the goods when and where needed in every theater of operations and across every ocean in the biggest, the most difficult and dangerous job ever undertaken. As time goes on, there will be greater public understanding of our merchant's fleet record during this war [World War II].'

-- President Franklin D. Roosevelt

[snippy_about_it]

Hi Sam. Today is National Maritime Day thus the decision for today's "Revisit" thread. :-)

[snippy_about_it]

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Saturday Morning Everyone.


If you would like added to our ping list let us know.

[SAMWolf]

The Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to officers and men who served aboard merchant vessels flying the American flag in Vietnam waters at any time from July 4, 1965 to August 15, 1973.

This decoration was authorized in May 1968.

[snippy_about_it]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization.

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Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

Thanks to CholeraJoe for providing this link.

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

Thanks to quietolong for providing this link.

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Iraq Homecoming Tips

~ Thanks to our Veterans still serving, at home and abroad. ~ Freepmail to Ragtime Cowgirl | 2/09/04 | FRiend in the USAF

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[Samwise]

G'morning, snippy!

I googled upon this story.

http://www.angelstation.com/swillner/WPS01.htm

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what a merchant mariner is. I thought it was someone who just transported via ships for commercial purposes. I knew they had to be licensed, but I still don't understand the military connection, other than the licensing and they sometimes contrite to the military.

I also get confused about the difference between reserves and the guard. I know someone will read this and 'splain it to me.

[hardhead]

Good morning everybody!  If you remember this one, you're really an old-timer!  On G. I. Memories I just linked to another U.S. military history site about James Connally AFB.  James Connally Air Force Base, located seven miles northeast of Waco, Texas, was initially a basic pilot-training school.  It opened as Waco Army Air Field on May 5, 1942, and became headquarters for the Army Air Forces Central Instructors' School in February 1945.  Pilot training was discontinued in early 1952. Training for all-weather fighter radar observers, and upgrade training for navigators and bombardiers, began in 1951.  The Instrument Pilot Instructors School was subsequently moved to the base and trained instructor pilots from many allied nations.  The base was inactive from late 1945 to 1948, when it was reactivated as a basic pilot-training school.   On June 10, 1949, the name was changed to Connally Air Force Base in memory of Col. James T. Connally, a local pilot killed in Japan in 1945.  By 1951 the name had been changed to James Connally Air Force Base. The base also trained already-rated pilots as bombardiers and navigators to provide triple-rated crews for the rapidly growing fleet of B-47s. That program was discontinued in 1962.  Undergraduate Nav Training (UNT) was conducted at Connally from the 1950's until May 1965.

While we're on the subject of the Merchant Marines (we couldn't have gotten along without them), I have two interesting Merchant Marine sites at http://www.gimemories.com/usallvet.com 'Merchant Marine.com' and 'Welcome Aboard'.  These people have put some work into those two pages - they're crammed with data.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on May 22:
1671 Abraham Patras Governor-General of East-Indies (1735-37)
1780 Jan Emmanuel Dulezalek composer
1783 Thomas Forbes Walmisley composer
1804 John William (Turk) Livingston Commander (Union Navy), died in 1885
1813 Richard Wagner Leipzig Germany, composer (Ring, Flying Dutchman)
1821 Alfred Sully Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1879
1828 Albrecht Gräfe pioneer eye surgeon; founded modern ophthalmology
1844 Mary Cassatt US, Impressionist painter (Woman Bathing)
1859 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle UK, author-brought Sherlock Holmes to life...twice
1891 Robert Gordon Sproul educator/college president (University of California)
1897 Robert Neumann Austrian/British author (Waters of Babylon)
1902 Al Simmons Milwaukee WI, outfielder (A's)/lifetime batting average of .334
1906 Harry Ritz US comic (Ritz Brothers-Silent Movie)
1907 Laurence Olivier England, actor (Rebecca, Hamlet, Jazz Singer)
1907 Sir Laurence Olivier actor (Rebecca, Hamlet, The Boys from Brazil,Khartoum, Othello)
1910 Johnny Olson TV announcer (Price is Right)
1911 Anatol Rapoport Russian/US mathematician/biologist (game theory)
1920 Thomas Gold astronomer (proposed steady-state theory of universe)
1922 Judith Crist New York NY, movie critic (TV Guide)
1924 Charles Aznavour [Chahnour Varinag Aznavourian] Paris France, French-Armenian singer (Monsieur Carnavel, Tin Drum)
1927 Michael Constantine Reading PA, actor (Room 222, Don't Drink the Water)
1928 Roscoe Robinson US gospel singer
1928 T Boone Pickens CEO (Shamrock, Mesa Petroleum Co)
1934 Peter Nero New York NY, conductor/pianist (A Sunday in New York)
1938 Frank Converse actor (It's About Time, Dr Cook's Garden, Movin' On)
1938 Richard Benjamin New York NY, director/actor (Goodbye Columbus, He & She)
1940 Bernard Shaw news correspondant (CBS, CNN)
1941 Paul Winfield Los Angeles CA, actor (Star Trek II, Huckleberry Finn, Mars Attacks)
1943 Tommy John pitcher (Yankee/Dodger)
1950 Bernie Taupin lyricist, writes with Elton John
1952 Jan Todd woman power lifter, once lifted 248 kg in a squat
1953 John Edward Stevens New York NY, bank robber (FBI Most Wanted List)
1970 Naomi Campbell London England, model/actress (Cool as Ice, Unzipped)

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Deaths which occurred on May 22:
0337 Constantine the Great emperor of Rome (306-37)/anti semite, dies
0987 Louis V le Faineant the Lazy, king of France (986-87), poisoned at 20
1667 Alexander VII [Fabio Chigi] Italian Pope (1655-67), dies at 68
1688 Johann A Quenstedt German Lutheran theologist, dies at 70
1868 Julius Plücker German mathematician/physicist (formula of P), dies
1885 Victor(-Marie) Hugo French writer (Les Misérables), dies at 83
1925 John [Denton Pinkstone] French British field marshall (WWI), dies at 72
1928 William Gairdner English missionary (Nile Mission Press), dies at 54
1949 Klaus H T Mann German/US writer (Turning Point), dies
1965 Heinrich Barth Swiss philosopher (Das Sein in der Zeit), dies
1967 [James Mercer] Langston Hughes US author (Tambourines to Glory), dies at 65
1972 Margaret Rutherford English actress (The Importance of Being Earnest,Murder She Said, Murder Ahoy), dies at 80
1990 Rocky Graziano boxer, dies at 71, of heart failure

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1967 BACKUS KENNETH F.---PYRITES NY.
1967 HOLMES LESTER EVAN--PLAINFIELD IA.
1967 PERRINE ELTON L.---PITTSFORD NY.
1967 VOGEL RICHARD D.---MILLARD OH.
[03/04/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1968 ADAM JOHN Q.---BETHEL KS.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 CHAMBERS JERRY L.---MUSKOGEE OK.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 CREWS JOHN H. III---ASHVILLE NC.
1968 GLOVER CALVIN C.---STEUBENVILLE OH.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 KNEBEL THOMAS E.---MIDWAY AR.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 MASON WILLIAM H.---CAMDEN AR.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 MC PHAIL WILLIAM T.---CHATTANOOGA TN.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 MITCHELL THOMAS B.---LITTLETON CO.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 MILLER EDWIN F.---BERGEN NJ.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1968 PATE GARY---BROOKS GA.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 RASH MELVIN D.---YORKTOWN VA.
[CONTACT LOST]
1968 ST PIERRE DEAN PAUL---KANKAKEE IL.

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

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On this day...
0012 -BC- A daytime meteor shower, possibly Zeta Perseid observed in China
0760 14th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet
1176 Murder attempt by "Assassins" on Saladin near Aleppo
1200 Peace of Goulet
1370 Jews are expelled/massacred from Brussels Belgium
1455 Open battle in England's 30-year War of the Roses (St Albans)
1455 Richard of York takes St Albans, kidnapping King Henry VI
1570 1st atlas, with 70 maps, published
1659 France, England & Netherlands sign "Hedges Concerto" treaty
1712 Emperor Karel VI crowned king of Hungary
1761 1st life insurance policy in US, issued in Philadelphia
1784 Ceylonese student leader Pieter Quint Ondaatje demands democracy
1803 1st public library opens (Connecticut)
1807 Former Vice President Aaron Burr is tried for treason in Richmond VA (acquitted)
1807 Townsend Speakman 1st sells fruit-flavored carbonated drinks (Philadelphia)
1819 1st steam propelled vessel to cross Atlantic (leaves Savannah GA)
1836 Felix Mendelssohn's oratorium "St Paul" premieres in Düsseldorf
1843 1st wagon train, 1000+ departs Independence MO for Oregon
1849 Abraham Lincoln patents a buoying device
1856 Violence in Senate, South Carolina Representative Brooks used a cane on Massachusetts Senator Sumner
1858 Confederación Granadina (now Colombia) forms
1863 General Grant begins siege on Vicksburg
1863 War Department establishes Bureau of Colored Troops
1864 Battle of North Anna River VA (Totopotamy River, Haw's Shop, Hanovertown)
1868 Great Train Robbery; 7 men (Reno Brothers) make off with $98,000 in cash
1872 Amnesty Act restores civil rights to Southerners (except for 500)
1883 Cub's Billy Sunday's 1st at bat, begins 14 consecutive strike-outs
1884 1-armed pitcher Hugh Daily fanned 13 hitters
1888 Leroy Buffington patents a system to build skyscrapers
1891 1st motion picture shown to National Federation of Women's Clubs
1892 Dr Washington Sheffield invents toothpaste tube
1900 Associated Press organizes in NYC as non-profit news cooperative
1906 Wright Brothers patent an aeroplane
1911 Braves pitcher, Cliff Curtis, loses his 23rd game in a row
1915 Local train collides with troop train killing 226 (Gretna Scotland)
1916 French troops occupy parts of Fort Douaumont Verdun
1923 Stanley Baldwin succeeds Andrew Bonar Law as British premier
1926 "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" by Gene Austin hits #1
1926 Chiang Kai-shek replaces communists in Guomindang China
1927 8.3 earthquake strikes Nan-Shan China, 200,000 killed
1928 US Congress accept Jones-White Merchant Naval Act
1930 Ruth hits 3 consecutive homeruns (8th-10th of 60 in 1930)
1930 Yankee "Bronx Bombers" hit 14 homeruns in a game
1931 Canned rattlesnake meat 1st goes on sale in Florida
1933 Loch Ness Monster is 1st reportedly sighted by John Mackay
1933 World Trade Day/National Maritime Day 1st celebrated
1938 Dodgers announce contracts to install lights at Ebbets Field
1939 Hitler & Mussolini sign "Pact of Steel"
1941 British troops attack Baghdad
1942 México declares war on Nazi-Germany & Japan
1943 1st jet fighter is tested
1943 Stalin disbands Komintern
1945 6th Marine division reaches suburbs of Naha Okinawa
1947 "Truman Doctrine" goes into effect, aiding Turkey & Greece
1947 1st US ballistic missile fired
1953 President Eisenhower signs Offshore Oil Bill
1954 KREX TV channel 5 in Grand Junction CO (CBS) begins broadcasting
1954 Robert Zimmerman aka Bob Dylan is Bar Mitzvahed
1956 "Bob Hope Show" last airs on NBC-TV
1957 Red Sox set American League record by smashing 4 homeruns in 6th inning in 11-0 win
1957 South Africa Government approves race separation in universities
1959 Benjamin O Davis Jr becomes 1st black general-major in USAF
1960 Virtually all coastal towns between 37th & 44th parallels severely damaged by tsunami that strikes Hilo HI at 01:04 AM
1961 "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie K-Doe hits #1
1961 1st revolving restaurant (Top Of The Space Needle in Seattle), opens
1962 Robert A Rushworth, USAF major, takes X-15 to 30,600 meters
1962 Roger Maris walks 5 times (record 4 intentionally) in a 9 inning game
1963 Mickey Mantle hits a ball off Yankee Stadium's facade
1964 LBJ presents "Great Society"
1965 Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" single goes #1
1965 Mad Dog Vachon beats Igor Vodic in Omaha, to become NWA champion
1967 "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" debuts on NET (now PBS)
1967 Egyptian president Nasser closes Straits of Tiran to Israel
1969 Stafford & Cernan pilot Apollo 10 LEM 9.4 miles (15km) above lunar surface
1970 Arab terrorists kill 9 children & 3 adults on a school bus
1972 Ceylon becomes Republic of Sri Lanka as its constitution is ratified
1972 Ton Sijbrands becomes world checker champion
1972 US President Nixon begins visit Moscow
1973 President Nixon confesses his role in Watergate cover-up
1977 Final European scheduled run of the Orient Express (94 years)
1979 Canadians elect conservatives, Joseph Clark replaces Pierre Trudeau
1980 Marlo Thomas & Phil Donahue marry
1981 Soyuz 40 returns to Earth
1985 Pete Rose 2,108th run passes Hank Aaron as National League run scoring leader
1985 US sailor Michael L Walker arrested for spying for USSR
1987 30 killed in a Texas tornado
1990 Microsoft releases Windows 3.0
1990 North & South Yemen merge to form Republic of Yemen
1992 Johnny Carson's final appearance as host of the Tonight Show
1993 Riddick Bowe TKOs Jesse Ferguson in 2 for heavyweight boxing title
1997 Kelly Flinn, the Air Force's first female bomber pilot certified for combat, accepted a general discharge, thereby avoiding court-martial on charges of adultery, lying and disobeying an order.
2000 A committee of the Arkansas Supreme Court recommended that President Clinton be disbarred for giving false testimony about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. (Clinton later agreed to give up his Arkansas law license for five years.)

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

Angel's Camp CA : Jumping Frog Jubilee Day
Haiti : National Sovereignty Day
Sri Lanka : Republic Day (1972)
US : National Maritime Day
National Pickle Week ends. (:-(..but you can still have a nice pickle if you want, and no one will think the worse you.)
National Digestive Disease Awareness Month

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Religious Observances
Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Rita of Cascia, widow; invoked in desperate cases
Orthodox : Translat of Relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker
Feast of St. Basilicus, martyr.

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Religious History
1541 In Germany, the Ratisbon (Regensburg) Conference ended, its mission to reunify the Catholic Church having failed. From this time on, the Protestant movement became permanent.
1740 English revivalist George Whitefield wrote in a letter: 'We must all have the spirit of martyrdom, though we may not all die martyrs.'
1868 Birth of William R. Newell, American clergyman and devotional writer. He published expository works on the Bible, and is remembered today as author of the hymn, "At Calvary" (a.k.a. "Years I Spent in Vanity and Pride").
1944 The Gospel Mission of South America was founded by William M. Strong in Concepcion, Chile. An interdenominational Protestant missions agency, its headquarters moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 1975.
1967 The General Assembly of the Southern Presbyterian Church (PCUS) adopted the Confession of 1967. It was the first major declaration of faith adopted by this branch of Protestantism since the Westminster Confession of 1647.

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

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Thought for the day :
"One disadvantage of having nothing to do: You can't stop and rest."

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Actual Newspaper Headlines...
War Dims Hope for Peace

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Why did the Chicken cross the Road...
Thomas de Torquemada:
Give me ten minutes with the chicken and I'll find out.

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Dumb Laws...
Staten Island, New York:
You may only water your lawn if the hose is held in your hand.

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What an employee Really Means...
"I TAKE PRIDE IN MY WORK:"
I blame others for my mistakes.

[Professional Engineer]

Good morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.

Staff photo by Don Himsel
Nick D'Augustine has been told by the town of Amherst to remove patriotic signs and American flags from along Route 101A in front of the Oak Furniture Store, which he owns

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[Professional Engineer]

1849 Abraham Lincoln patents a buoying device

I've seen his patent model on display in the Smithsonian.

Lincoln's Patent
On May 22, 1849, Abraham Lincoln received Patent No. 6469 for a device to lift boats over shoals, an invention which was never manufactured. However, it did make him the only U.S. president to hold a patent. Shown here is his scale model at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

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[kilowhskey]

I'll take a whack at it for you, Samwise. Your grasp of merchant mariners is good. What induces confusion is when a civilian shipping company has a contract with the pentagon to carry military cargo into a combat zone. In Viet Nam, civilians were operating all manner of WWII and Korean-era freighters, tankers and LSTs.

With regard to the distinction between the reserves and the guard, the difference is small but significant. Reservists and reserve units are under the direct control of the pentagon. Guard units are under the direct control of their respective state governors, who can mobilize them for state emergencies.

Hope that helps.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning P.E. Thanks for today's Flag-o-gram.

Great story with it.

[Valin]

I have two words and a travel destination for Charlie Tiedemann.

[Samwise]

Thanks for the help.

Now, how come so much of the force in the Mid East are guardsmen? I understand why reservists were called up, but why the guardsmen? I thought they were here to "guard us" in an emergency. And God help us all if that yoyo governor of mine is coordinating our guardsmen in Iraq. I guess the pentagon can call up the guard too, but why? They are the state guard and the military has its reservists? It sounds like the revolution when each state sent its militia, and they were all under different control. I know the war is an emergency, but you know what I mean. Who's watching the homefront?

P.S. None of this is criticism. I just don't understand why so much burden is being placed on the guard.

[The Mayor]

Everyone who was in distress . . . gathered to [David]. So he became captain over them. —1 Samuel 22:2

Jesus came to save the lost, the last, and the least.

[Valin]

"Now, how come so much of the force in the Mid East are guardsmen?"

Basically it comes down to the downsizing of the regular forces.

"Who's watching the homefront?"

Civilians, Dept of Homeland Security.