USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Fallen Warriors ~ February 15 2003

February 15 2003 | snippy about it and friends of FR

[snippy_about_it]

One more huge graphic from Registered for our troops.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Click for current time
in Afghanistan

[Kathy in Alaska]

Duty ~ Honor ~ Country

Click above to visit "A Day in the Life of President Bush"

[Kathy in Alaska]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are,God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

.

Bless This House

Bless this house O Lord we pray;
Make it safe by night and day;
Bless these walls so firm and stout,
Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall,
Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove
ever open to joy and love.


Bless these windows shining bright,
Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there,
with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within,
keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be
Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we
May dwell O Lord with thee.

.

(Click on praying hands above,
or on banner at the top to hear the music)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Canteen Blessing for the Troops. Thank you, ms feather.

[aomagrat]

Today's classic warship, USS Maine (ACR-1)

Maine class armored cruiser
Displacement. 6,682 t.
Lenght. 319'
Beam. 57'
Draft. 21' 6"
Complement. 374
Speed. 17 k.
Armament. 4 10", 6 6", 7 6-pdrs., 8 1-pdrs., 4 14" tt.

The USS Maine was designed and laid down as an armored cruiser. Her construction was delayed by a fire in the drafting room of the New York Navy Yard and also by the late delivery of her armor. By the time she was ready, the concept of the armored cruiser had moved beyond her. Too slow and heavily armored to be considered a cruiser, she was later redisignated a second-class battleship during her lenghty construction.

The USS Maine (ACR-1), was laid down at New York Navy Yard 17 October 1888; launched 18 November 1889, sponsored by Miss Alice Tracy Wilmerding, granddaughter of Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Tracy; and commissi oned 17 September 1895, Capt. Arent S. Crowninshield in command.

Maine departed New York Navy Yard 5 November 1895 for Newport, R.I., via Gardiner's Bay, N.Y., to fit out 16 to 23 November, and then proceeded on the 25th to Portland, Maine, to visit her namesake. The battlewagon then put to sea on the 29th on trials and inspection, being assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron 16 December, and sailing via Newport to Tompkinsville, N.Y., arriving 23 December. The ship sailed the next day for Fort Monroe, Va., arriving on Christmas Day. She operated out of that place and Newport News through June 1896 and then on the 4th sailed for Key West on a 2-month training cruise, returning to Norfolk 3 August. Maine continued extensive east coast operations until late 1897. Then the ship prepared for a voyage to Havana, Cuba, to show the flag and to protect American citizens in event of violence in the Spanish struggle with the revolutionary forces in Cuba.

On 11 December Maine stood out of Hampton Roads bound for Key West, arriving on the 15th. She was joined there by ships of the North Atlantic Squadron on maneuvers, then left Key West 24 January 1898 for Havana.

Arriving 25 January, Maine anchored in the center of the port, remained on vigilant watch, allowed no liberty, and took extra precautions against sabotage. Shortly after 2140, 15 February, the battleship was torn apart by a tremendous explosion that shattered the entire forward part of the ship. Out of 350 officers and men on board that night (4 officers were ashore), 252 were dead or missing. Eight more were to die in Havana hospitals during the next few days. The survivors of the disaster were taken on board Ward Line steamer City of Washington and Spanish cruiser Alfonso XII. The Spanish officials at Havana showed every attention to the survivors of the disaster and great respect for those killed. The court of inquiry convened in March was unable to obtain evidence associating the destruction of the battleship with any person or persons, but public opinion in the United States was so inflamed that the Maine disaster led eventually to the declaration of war on Spain 21 April.

On 5 August 1910, Congress authorized the raising of Maine and directed Army engineers to supervise the work. A second board of inquiry appointed to inspect the wreck after it was raised reported that injuries to the ship's bottom were caused by an external explosion of low magnitude that set off the forward magazine, completing destruction of the ship.

Technical experts at the time of both investigations disagreed with the findings, believing that spontaneous combustion of coal in the bunker adjacent to the reserve six-inch magazine was the most likely cause of the explosion on board the ship. In 1976, Admiral Hyman G. Rickover published his book, How the Battleship Maine Was Destroyed. The admiral became interested in the disaster and wondered if the application of modern scientific knowledge could determine the cause. He called on two experts on explosions and their effects on ship hulls.

Using documentation gathered from the two official inquiries, as well as information on the construction and ammunition of Maine, the experts concluded that the damage caused to the ship was inconsistent with the external explosion of a mine. The most likely cause, they speculated, was spontaneous combustion of coal in the bunker next to the magazine.

Some historians have disputed the findings in Rickover's book, maintaining that failure to detect spontaneous combustion in the coal bunker was highly unlikely. Yet evidence of a mine remains thin and such theories are based primarily on conjecture. Despite the best efforts of experts and historians in investigating this complex and technical subject, a definitive explanation for the destruction of Maine remains one of the continuing enigmas of American history.

Maine's hulk was finally floated 2 February 1912 and towed out to sea where it was sunk in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico with appropriate ceremony and military honors 16 March.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Beautiful and breathtaking thread, snippy. Thank you. Thanks too to Luis and JH2 for their letters.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good afternoon Troops, families, veterans, Canadian, Israeli, Great Britain, Australian, New Zealand, and Taiwanese allies (and everybody else). Thank you for taking such good care of the USA.

Today in Anchorage, Alaska:

Sunrise 8:40am
Sunset 5:47pm

Hi 27F
Lo 16F

Clouds and sun

Actual yesterday in Anchorage:

Hi 33F
Lo 30F

State Hi 48F Annette
State Lo -42F Deadhorse

[Soaring Feather]

Duty ~ Honor ~ Country

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks to both of you for your tributes today.

[Soaring Feather]

Weather Report

Currant Temp
5 F
Wind Chill -12 F

I have had my hunting socks on for 2 weeks now. Cold floors outside wall where my computer is and no carpet here, other wise warm. Steam heat!

[Kathy in Alaska]

We finally dropped below freezing, but no snow, nor prospect thereof.

[Bethbg79]

Hi Ms Kathy!

[PhilDragoo]

God lift our fallen heroes who demonstrated John 15:13:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

~~~

Let the news go out:

Mr. Tenet said at a Senate hearing Tuesday that "we see disturbing signs that al Qaeda has established a presence in both Iran and Iraq."

Let the Franco-Germanic-Demunist girly boys be struck by the al Qaeda they defend.

Godspeed Swift Victory and Safe Return to the Finest Fighting Force on Earth

God Bless Our Troops, Our Veterans, and their Families

SADDAM-FREE in '03

Sad, Son of Osama, sez: Iran, but I cannot hide. . .

[Long Cut]

That's funny. I was just outside on my porch, in bare feet, jeans, Hawaiian shirt, and cocktail after getting my first sunburn of the year whilst washing and waxing The Countess.

I am going to miss Florida so much when I leave...

[Long Cut]

Diva, you'll be pleased to know that the car YOU named, La Contessa, The Countess, has scored her first two "kills". Both were Cobra Mustangs, and both happened within minutes of each other, on the Interstate.

The first engagement commenced with both vehicles side-by-side, at about 60 miles per hour. At a nod from both drivers, the fight was on! The Countess easily outran her opponent for the next two miles, WAY up in the triple-digits speed zone. The Cobra, though giving a fair accounting of itself, was of the 2001 variety, and thus was limited, being some 20 horses weaker than the Countess.

She and I were actually DE-celerating when we approached a SECOND Snake from the rear. Slowing down to 65 and matching speed, the second engagement commenced, with the Snake in about fourth gear, I assume. Two seconds later, The CounteSS' LS-1 engine was roaring through 100, headed for the stratosphere, and the Snake was crawling back to its momma.

I never cease to be amazed by this car's performance and handling. Only three more "kills", and she and I make "ACE"!

[Soaring Feather]

Hey LC good to hear from you!

Nothing like rubbing it in is there LC???
Hunting socks are stylish in the hills LOL
Currently the temp is 3 F...
Barefoot huh!! Holey Moley!

How's MS Cut and baby?

The following is for you and Ms Cut in a few months!

You have to watch those little rascals every minute! LOL

[Long Cut]

BTW, FRiends, Mrs. Cut and I were at the doctor's a few days ago...and I got to see our baby at 18 weeks old, on UltraSound. Ten perfect toes, ten perfect fingers, four-chambered heart, stomach...everything was working JUST right. The doc said that "Mini Cut" was about as healthy as could be seen.

I am excited beyond words. We asked NOT to be told the sex...preferring to be surprised, but I'm betting on a boy. So is Mrs. Cut, but thus, she figures, it'll probably be a girl. NO MATTER AT ALL, so long as it's healthy and happy!