USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ FlashBack Friday ~ March 14 2003

Friends of The Canteen

[SAMWolf]

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By remembering and paying tribute to the military past of our country,
we are paying tribute to those who are serving our country today.

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General Claire Chennault & "The Flying Tigers"

The Flying Tigers were a group of American fighter pilots that flew for China in the early part of 1942. Led by a controversial American, Colonel Claire Chennault, they were actually called the "American Volunteer Group" (AVG), and achieved good success in their aerial battles against the Japanese.

They were a relatively small group of pilots, and never had more than 100 Curtis Warhawk P-40's (decorated with the famous red shark mouth) available. But at the time they were flying (early 1942), they were the only Americans doing ANYTHING against the Axis. With an American public reeling from Pearl Harbor and anxious to strike back "NOW!" the Flying Tigers were "the only game in town" at that point. Thus they received a lot of favorable press coverage, from reporters anxious to write about the only only Americans doing ANYTHING ANYWHERE against the Japanese.

The Flying Tigers comprised three squadrons:

1st Squadron - "Adam and Eves"
2nd Squadron - "Panda Bears"
3rd Squadron - "Hell's Angels"

The top aces of the Flying Tigers were: David Lee "Tex" Hill, Robert Neale, and Chuck Older. James Howard flew with the AVG; he later earned the Congressional Medal of Honor while flying P-51s for the 354th Fighter Group (Ninth Air Force) in Europe. Pappy Boyington was another Tiger who went on to greater fame; he had a falling out with Chennault, who gave him a Dishonorable Discharge. The mercurial Boyington never forgave him.



"Colonel" Claire Lee Chennault had been in China since the mid-Thirties; he called himself "Colonel," though his highest rank had been Major. An outspoken advocate of "pursuit" (as fighter planes were called then), in an Army Air Force dominated by strategic bomber theorists, he alienated many of his superiors. But in China, equipped with P-40's, he developed the basic fighter tactics that American pilots would use throughout the war. The Japanese planes used over China were much more maneuverable than his Warhawks, whose advantages were: speed in a dive, superior firepower, and better ability to absorb battle damage. Chennault worked out and documented the appropriate tactics that capitalized on the relative strengths of the American fighters: intercept, make a diving pass, avoid dogfighting, and dive away when in trouble. This remained the fundamental U.S. fighter doctrine throughout the Pacific War. My appreciation of the pilot's bravery and Chennault's tactical skills, however, doesn't change my assessment of the unfortunate and perhaps distracting role they played. The Chinese politics and Chinese-American relations at the time were quite complicated. The titular leader of China, Generalissimo Chiang Kai Chek, of the Kuomintang, was engaged in an endless three-way war: his Kuomintang vs. Mao's Communists vs. Japan. And his own power within the Kuomintang was dependent on balancing various warlords, cliques, and factions. Given the understandable problems posed by this situation, he always wanted more and more American aid, which he and his generals then wanted to use against internal enemies as well as Japan, or perhaps, not to use at all, but to hoard as symbols of their power.

General Chennault, got the Generalissimo's ear, and persuaded him that air power could sweep the Japanese from China, almost effortlessly and painlessly, just a few score American B-17 bombers would do the trick. Thus Chiang Kai Chek, General Chennault, Madame Chiang Kai Chek, and the powerful China Lobby used their combined influence with the American government to push Chennault's air power scheme.



Unfortunately, the adressing real issues in Nationalist China -- development of democratic or at least stable institutions, the rooting out of corruption in the Kuomintang, the training and deployment of useful Chinese infantry forces against Japan, improving the life of the ordinary villagers, etc. -- had no priority with the Generalissimo. Chennault's proposals seemed to offer such a promising way out.

The American government had its own problems, and couldn't scrape up the numbers of bombers envisioned. But keeping China in the war against Japan was understood to be in America's strategic interest (even before Pearl Harbor). What could be offered to Chiang was about 100 Curtis P-40 Warhawk fighter planes with volunteer military pilots to fly them. They fought with distinction, largely in the defense of Burma, and were absorbed into the United States Army Air Force's 23rd Fighter Group in July, 1942.

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"A nation that forgets its past has no future."
Sir Winston Churchill

"Those Who Have Long Enjoyed Such Privileges As We Enjoy, Forget In Time that Men Have Died To Win Them."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

[tomkow6]

Not yet........Maybe she's making mud-pies with Conner?

[Soaring Feather]

Very well, thank you, Ms Grit!

[beachn4fun]

Yup! That is definitely funny 8-()

[snippy_about_it]

A lovely Friday for lounging. Alas, I have to work but it's Friday and tomorrow will be my day for late sleeping!

WAKE UP BETH!

[HiJinx]

Any time, jus' any ol' time at all!
(GRINs are special, in my book!)

[HiJinx]

Any time, jus' any ol' time at all!
(GRINs are special, in my book!)

[SAMWolf]

Current Military News
Kuwait "Free" Time

US Army sergeant Keith Rolling wrings out his socks as he and his comrade wash their uniforms in the desert outside Kuwait City, March 14, 2003. With the U.N. Security Council unable to reach agreement on a resolution authorizing military action in Iraq, the United States, Britain and Spain may abandon a vote altogether rather than face rejection. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach


A US Army combat tank team member showers under the cannon of his M1A1 Abrams tank in the desert outside Kuwait City, March 14, 2003.


US Army sergeant Robert Vennebush reads a book in his squad's tent in the desert outside Kuwait City, in the early hours of March 14, 2003


US Army soldiers relax during their time out of duty in their tent in the desert outside Kuwait City, in the early hours of March 14, 2003


US Army soldiers clean and shave themselves in their tent in the desert outside Kuwait City, in the early hours of March 14, 2003.


US Army infantry soldiers clean their weapons in the desert outside Kuwait City, March 14, 2003. With over 250,000 American and British troops poised to invade Iraq, U.S. President Bush maintains he will launch a war without U.N. backing if necessary. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach


A US Army soldier gets some assistance from a comrade with a flashlight as he shaves himself outside their tent in the desert outside Kuwait City, in the early hours of March 14, 2003


A US Army combat tank team member reads a book sitting beside his M1A1 Abrams tank in the desert outside Kuwait City, March 14, 2003.

[tomkow6]

Quote for the day:

A good friend will come bail you out of jail..........but, a
true friend....

will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun."

[Kathy in Alaska]

Click Here for current time
in Afghanistan

Click Here for current time
in Kuwait

[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.

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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.

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

[tomkow6]

Something to ponder:
You are the President of the United States. Scientists have discovered a meteor that is headed towards the earth. They have calculated that it will strike France in 2 days, at approximately 2:30 A.M. The meteor is large enough to completely wipe France from the face of the earth forever.

France and the United Nations have requested that the United States send all available ships and aircraft to help evacuate the country. Among the ships and planes you could be sending are many that are being used to fight the war on terror overseas.

As the President, you must decide: Do you stay up late on the night of the impact to watch the coverage live, or tape it and watch it in the morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning 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 7:20am
Sunset 6:57pm

Hi 13F
Lo 8F

Mosstly sunny and frigid

Actual yesterday in Anchorage:

Hi 8F
Lo 2F

State Hi 49F Klawock
State Lo -31F Bettles

[tomkow6]

BTW: Alaska's weather made the news here in Chicago: they said that winds gusts in excess of 100 MPH were recorded in some parts of Alaska.............and they call Chicago the windy city?????????

[MoJo2001]

Good morning, Ma! You've got email!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

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

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Aeronaut and Otto, and thank you both for the flyover of protection for our troops Canteen.

[beachn4fun]

GOOD MORNING ALL

Today we are off to a cool start, but the sun is shining. Weather man lied apparently cause this morning's forcast for this weekend is only 50s and possible rain on Sunday. BUT... I am still going to clean those vehicles on Saturday.

When I got at the Canteen this morning I had a lot of reading to do from yesterday's thread. Everyone was busy last night while I was away. But, I discovered some interesting things. I now wonder what Camp-Run-A-Muck is going to be like now that we will have "vistors". I wonder if tomkow is going to send his kitty-katz to charm school before the visitors start coming by? Even though they were on their best behavior this past Wednesday, the week before they were "running-a-muck!"

I also have someone I'd like to add to the Care Package list. He is a young man local from my area and is on the Connie. Here is the info:

ET3 Matthew Winkler, USS Constellation (CV64) CS/CS6/CS10 FPO AP 96635-2780

(quote: If anyone wants to send anything, I am not picky. Just to receive mail of any sort is a good thing.)

GOOD MORNING TROOPS! Thank You!

[Aeronaut]

Hi Kathy. Has the wind died down?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!