The Longest Day

Xmas Sucks When....

If Today's Media Reported WWII

Midway Island Demolished. Yorktown, Destroyer Sunk.
Many US planes lost

June 7, 1942The United States Navy suffered another blow in its attempt to stem the Japanese juggernaut ravaging the Pacific Ocean. Midway Island, perhaps the most vital U.S. outpost, was pummeled by Japanese Naval aviators. The defending U.S. forces, consisting primarily of antique Buffalo fighters, were competely wiped out while the Japanese attackers suffered few, if any, losses.

In a nearby naval confrontation, the Japanese successfully attacked the Yorktown which was later sunk by a Japanese submarine. A destroyer lashed to the Yorktown was also sunk.
American forces claim to have sunk four Japanese carriers and the cruiser Mogami but those claims were vehemently denied by the Emporer's spokeman.
The American carriers lost an entire squadron of torpedo planes when they failed to link up with fighter escorts. The dive bombers had fighter escort even though they weren't engaged by enemy fighters. The War Dept. refused to answer when asked why the fighters were assigned to the wrong attack groups. The Hornet lost a large number of planes when they couldn't locate the enemy task force. Despite this cavalcade of errors, Admirals Fletcher and Spruance have not been removed.

Code Broken
The failure at Midway is even more disheartening because the U.S. Navy knew the Japanese were coming. Secret documents provided to the NY Times showed that "Magic" intercepts showed the Japanese planned to attack Midway, which they called "AF".
Obsolete Equipment
Some critics blamed the failure at Midway on the use of obsolete aircraft. The inappropriately named Devastator torpedo planes proved no match for the Japanese fighters. Even the Avengers, its schedule replacements, were riddled with bullets and rendered unflyable. Secretary of War Stimson dodged the question saying simply: "You go to war with the Navy you have, not the Navy you want or would like to have". Critics immediately called for his resignation.

War Souvenir 1943

This is a reason we won World War Two.




This is the reason we're losing the battle for Iraq. Any soldier caught with something along these lines would be court marshaled. Here's a clue people: War is by nature not politically correct. War is destroying the enemy by whatever means available for he is surely going to do the same to you.

Kindness in war is killing as effectively as possible to end the war as soon as possible. Everything else is rubbish.

Slang

"It's not slang", you say. Maybe, maybe not. Many words we use today come from slang used in the military. Here are some I thought you'd like to know.



From the Civil War

Bummer: "man, that was a bummer. Bummer was used in the Civil War to denote deserters, stragglers and looters. Following the Army's predilection to shorten words "Bum" came into use.

Deadbeat: From the Civil denoting anyone exempt from military action, even in uniform.

Fluke: Originally a failure or fiasco. Later used to describe a fortunate turn of events as a result of luck rather than skill or planning.

Mugger: A prisoner who preys on fellow, weaker prisoners.

Red Tape: Official orders were delivered with red ribbon tied around the packet denoted it's official origin and importance of delivery. To do something properly you had to get past the Red Tape. As more and more regulations and orders were issued to subordinate units, these units were said to be buried in Red Tape.

Slum: Not a place but a thing. Slum was a stew made from whatever was handy. If you were sitting there eating, you were slumming. Later changed to a verb for either getting by with little effort or resources or being idle.

Smart Money: Monies paid to soldiers who were wounded. "Not smart enough to duck." Also used to describe payment to avoid military service thereby avoiding the chance of being wounded and receiving "Smart Money".

Tap Out: Originally a drum beat to order all lights in the camp to be extinguished. That is why the bugle which replaced the drums was called Taps. General Butterfield ordered the change and thought the soothing, slow bugle call would express the darkening camp and urge soldiers to snuggle down and sleep. Falling aslepp was therefore referred to as "Tapping Out". Later any reason to fall from the formation was called Tapping Out.

Hooker: During the Cival War and Army in the field would be followed by it's Supply Train and in alot of cases the families of the soldiers. The Supply Train provided a ready source for all the soldier's needs. Fulfilling a need, prostitutes often were in the Supply Train. The Army of Union General George Hooker had an usually large contingent of prositutes and were therefore named "Hookers". The red light district of Washington D.C. was referred to as "Hooker's Division".

From World War Two

Dope: Coca Cola. Someone fond of the soft drink was called a Dope Head.

Goof: Marijuana. Hence...Goof Off, Goof Ball, Goof Head and of course Goofy. Think aboout that the next time you're at Disneyland.

Rat Race: An Aerial manuever. Also known as "Tail Chasing". An open formation usually used in air made turbulent by the planes in front.

Shack Up: To live with a woman you are not married to. Referring to the Native Shacks on Pacific Islands werein you might find eager and willing local women.

Swing Shift: As Industry geared up to support the War an additional work force was added to the workers who went home at 4PM. These folks worked from 3PM to Midnight. The Shift from Midnight to until the Morning shift came in was called Graveyard.

Remembering Tokyo Rose

Anyone who remembers anything about World War II, or has studied anything about World War II, will understand and remember that during World War II, the Japanese developed a way to demoralize the American forces.



The Japanese psychological warfare experts developed a message they felt would work.



They gave their psychological warfare script to their famous broadcaster "Tokyo Rose" and every day she would broadcast this same message packaged in different ways, hoping it would have a negative impact on American an GI's morale. What was that demoralizing message?



It had three main points:



1. Your President is lying to you.

2. This war is illegal.

3. You cannot win the war



Does this sound familiar?



Is it because---



Tokyo Hillary - Tokyo Harry - Tokyo Teddy - Tokyo Nancy - Tokyo Durbin - Tokyo Kerry –

Tokyo Murtha - Tokyo Barack Hussein Obama Jr, etc. have all learned from the former enemies of our country and have picked up the same message and are broadcasting it on:



Tokyo CNN, Wolf Blitzer

Tokyo ABC, Charles Gibson

Tokyo CBS, Katie Couric

Tokyo NBC, Brian Williams / Tim Russert etc., to our troops?



The only difference is that they claim to support our troops before they try to demoralize them.



Come to think of it... Tokyo Rose told the American troops she was on their side, also.

My Dad Fought in World War Two

Let me tell you about my Dad. He's 90 years old today, in frail health and living his days out in a hospice.

The girl he married in 1945 visits him every day.

He roots for his Red Sox and Patriots. His room is filled with pictures of his grandchildren and family.

My Dad served in the Third Infantry Division in World War Two. Yes, the same Division that drove into Iraq. He served in the North African Campaign when the Americans got their hat handed to them by the Germans. He invaded Anzio to liberate that country. As the landing craft approached the beach, Dad was concerned. Being all of Five foot Four he hoped they would get to the shallows. The cox wain of the boast said he'd get them so close Dad wouldn't get his feet wet. When Dad went off the end of the LCI he dropped into six feet of water. Weighted down with his equipment, he started to drown. Shedding his gear,he fought to the surface and SWAM ashore. So much for Naval support he thought.

The Anzio landings were uncontested. There were no horrific scenes that you see in "Saving Private Ryan". There was nothing. Silence. The day was filled with unseen heroics such as my Dad, fighting for his life.

The Third Division consolidated and strengthened their beach head and waited for the German counter attack. When it came it was ferocious.

Dad was leading a squad that day. During the fighting, Dad was shot in the leg. A German medic saw him and started to work his way over to Dad. His squad laid down a barrage aimed at the medic. Dad shouted, "Cease Fire! Let the sonuvabitch live! He's trying to help me."

The German got to Dad and dressed his wounds. Saving Dad's life. Dad then took him prisoner. Confiscating the German's helmet, knife and pistol.

Dad was evacuated to North Africa. In a MASH they put pins in his leg. Pins that still give him hell on a cold day. During the surgery some Rear Area Echelon Mother Fucker stole the stuff he "liberated" from the German medic.

Dad loves to watch "MASH". He says they are just as crazy (and worse) as they are in the show. He was hit in Korea too and woke up strapped to the skid of one of those helicopters.

My Uncle Louis died in Italy. My Uncle Vincent was sleeping in his rack when a Japanese torpedo went through his compartment. He was never right again.

When I was a kid I rifled his underwear drawer looking for porn. What I found was a little black box. In it were two Purple hearts and a Silver Star. I know how he got the Purple Hearts, but he never talks about winning the Silver Star. The only thing he said when I asked was;

"I was too stupid not to fall back when everyone else did."

I don't know if he won it that day at Anzio. Maybe he won it in Korea. He's quiet on that point. I know he cries almost every night and STILL has nightmares.

He's 90 years old.

He and his fellow Vets are living out their lives in silence. Their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren never knowing of their quiet heroics. I know he was pissed over Vietnam. I knew he was horrified to send his son to Desert Storm. "Keep your head down. Don't be a hero and come home soon.", he said to me.

When I did come home the VFW had put a giant yellow ribbon all the way around Dad's house. He took me to the VFW. Surrounded by the old Vets each one came up offered a beer and said just about the same thing. "Here, now you're one of us." I wasn't regaled with stories of jumping from airplanes. No stories of tanks destroyed or beaches stormed. Just stories of how sweet Life is.

Postscript- My Dad died on August 16, 2006. Five days after his 91st birthday. If you have a relative or a friend who is a WWII vet, go talk to them today. They are America's Greatest Generation and they are disappearing fast. Thank them before it's too late.