THE DEATH OF THE LEE III

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Most of the articles that "run across" these pages on this 'blog of mine' and I say that rather loosely.....is pointed toward several years of "something to do with sea history....the war...and/or shipping."  Well this article is not so far off that mark....except it has to do with the Mississippi River....but the event doesn't have alot of whiskers on it "for the age factor."

Many individuals ...especially the 'young'uns'....don't realize how important the Mississippi River is in a means of a supply route for the "States."  The best way to gage just how busy this "creek" is....all one has to do is just venture somewhat 'South' and more or less to the middle of the United States....until you run into this "huge muddy creek"....that my friend will be the "Good ole Mississippi". 

Once there...well stand on the bank and marvel at all the river traffic....my lord it is like New York, City during the 5 p.m rush hour.

Ok...so what happens to all this "so called traffic" when .....something goes haywire....a ship goes down, and all river traffic is stopped?....yep, your right...."all hell breaks loose"  On top of that there are comments from individuals ....that due to this "disaster of an event of a ship sinking....and loss of lives..."...they are going to be late for their "appointment" .....the appointment is to them is primary.....they could give a hoot about anything else.

Well folks here is the story titled the: DEATH OF THE LEE III  that caused this huge disruption ....you will just be in awe of the response from this modern day world.

Just click on that title and the short story will unfold before you.....and I'm sure upon completion of reading you'll be shaking your head in wonderment.

Hope you enjoy the article

cshortridge73@gmail.com

D-DAYS SECRET WEAPONS

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Well.....your viewing the above structure...and your probably saying to yourself...."Well come on Bud, what the heck is that thing???"

I know...I know...things do get somewhat jumbled up don't they when you get to viewing and chatting about all that went into forming up the D-Day Invasions......and I don't blame you for being just a tad "confused"....

My goodness...there were "Mulberries....Whales....Gooseberries...Phoenix....and even ......a Pluto"...  Yep, I kid you not.

Ok...I'm making light of the whole situation...but...a gentleman wrote to me about the article that I done on "Gooseberries"....well actually the Gooseberries was what they called what the "ships" formed for the D-Day invasion breakwater....and the huge structures you see above "A Phoenix" was to form the "Mulberries"....

Ahhh.. yes...your still somewhat in a fog on it all aren't you....ok...tell you what...if you read this old Archived article that I have on these "items" that was used for D-Day....I think you'll come away having it pretty much sorted out....

So...if you click on this: D-DAYS SECRET WEAPONS

I do believe it will clear a few things up for you.

Hope the article is informative as well as enjoyable

cshortridge73@gmail.com

LST'S (THUMBNAIL OF HISTORY)

I have put in several years in the U.S. Navy.....but I never have set foot on one of these "Big, Boxy, Flat-Bottomed" vessels...of which is an LST...and actually I feel that is "My loss".....because I think these "Surf-Boards" was one heck of a work horse.

Now this article was not meant to be a long lengthy historical document on the complete history of the LST....but I did wish to provide just a 'slight' overview....or as we call it in todays world....a "thumbnail" of the history of this "Work-Horse" of a vessel.  There are many articles on the LST's on the net.....and I have additional ones myself....floating around on this blog or in my Archives of articles.

Anyway....if your interested in "Amphibious Ships" and you just want to gather up a tad of info on where in the world did they come from.....how many was made....well this 'may' be the short ...to the point article...... that will satisfy your "Need-To-Know" on the LST.

Also...the article may get you to wonder.....what will the design of this type be in the future?????...hmmmmmmm....that I think would be interesting to dwell upon.

Ok....here is the link: LST ....LARGE SLOW TARGET

Hope you find the article interesting to read.

cshortridge73@gmail.com

THE GHOST SHIPS OF NORMANDY

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If you've done a tad of reading on WW II....surely you have run across reading about what took place at "Normandy".....and then, most generally connected with "Normandy" is the word "Gooseberry".... 

To make it real simple to understand the Allies gathered up old battered, bombed, torpedoed and mined ships....yep...any derelict floating cork that could still manuver under her own power ....they took  these, not of use any more vessels,  from point A to point B...sunk with explosives, to form an  'instant breakwater, ....most generally about a 1,000 yds off shore

Now this event was not only used at Normandy....there was actually a "Gooseberry" for each designated D-Day invasion beach.

This article....is pretty much  from more or less a seaman perspective....and I'm not sure everyone realizes that during the process of linning up the ships...as they were setting there waiting for there turn for the explosives to be triggered...the Armed Guard Units were on these ships...as well as the crews...and were being attack by the Germans.  These units were in 'fire fights' while awaiting for the 'Gooseberry' to be formed...

So...if you'd care to let your eyes to dance over this article....I think you'll be enlightened to some interesting facts.....

Just click on this link:  GHOST SHIPS OF NORMANDY

Hope you enjoy the article.

THE NAVAL FIGHTER

Evolution of the Naval Fighter

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The Navy’s first true fighters were both based on remarkably similar designs developed for the Army by Curtiss and the young Boeing Company. The Curtiss F6C-1 Hawk was one of 37 built for the Navy in 1927. Powered by a liquid-cooled Curtiss D-12 engine, the Hawk was 15-mph slower than the competing Boeing FB-1 in Marine Corps markings. The Boeing design was largely influenced by Tony Fokker’s highly successful very advanced Fokker D-VII fighter of WW I.

If any one factor became apparent in the remarkable growth of Naval aviation during WWI, it was that the Navy felt little need to develop a modern Naval fighter.  Indeed, out of a force that numbered more than 2000 recently-acquired Naval aircraft, most were flying boats, seaplanes and training types. Less than 100 in the Naval inventory were fighters and these were largely a mix of worn out foreign-built aircraft totally unsuited for Naval needs. So it was that as the guns on the Western Front fell silent and the Navy contemplated acquiring its first long deferred aircraft carrier, little thought had been given to the potential role of fighters in the as yet undeveloped doctrine of Naval airpower.

If your into 'Military Aircraft'...especially U.S. Navy Fighters....and then you like to dabble a tad in history....well you may enjoy this "TWO PART" article..."Evolution of the Naval Fighter"

PART I

PART II




I hope you enjoy the article

DISTANT WINGS

There were several phases of WW II, but there were two crucial elements that developed....almost side by side: Japan’s naval strategy for one such phase, and America’s ability to read that strategy in secret.

This all became apparent in four days in early May, on the waters northeast of Australia, ships of the U.S. Navy fought ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy in a battle unlike any other in previous history: for in the “Battle of the Coral Sea,” the opposing vessels never actually saw one another at all.

Ok......now you've read the 'intro' to this 'strange event' that nobody seen anybody ....but they were still expected to fight this enemy they couldn't see....
This actually is very interesting...at the time this was entirely "new" to both sides.....  In todays world we don't think a thing about it...but back then it was a "big deal".

So...here is the story.....just click on this link: DISTANT WINGS  .....and you'll be taken right to the article.

Hope you enjoy and it is interesting to you.

Enjoy!!!

SHIPS AT SEA

Here is a .pdf file taken from the slide presentation that was sent to me by one of my readers....  Most generally when a reader sends me material they wish to have it shared....so the title "Ships At Sea" pretty much speaks for itself...no need for me to go into any great detail....

If you'd care give it a viewing...just click on this link:

SHIPS AT SEA

Hope you find it interesting.

AMERICA ON THE HOME FRONT

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I somewhat made a slight detour in 'subject matter' on this particular article....the article is not devoted to a 'Nautical Theme'....but it is tied to 'those boys that went to war'...and I just wanted to bring about some of the 'Recollections' of "The Home Front" during WW II.

I'm sure alot of what is in this article many of you will remember....or the article will 'kick start' the ole grey matter for you to mumble to yourself....'OMG!!!...yes I do remember!!!

On the other hand there are probably things in the article that you didn't know took place on the home front while the husbands, boyfriends, sons......were fighting the war to keep our freedom.  Then again if you are young....then all you've learned is what you've heard from the 'old timers'...and read in the history books... 

So....here is a jog back in time....that may interest 'one and all'...if nothing else it 'jump starts the memory' into a time when...."it was one for all....and all for one"....to win a war....and we would do just about anything to accomplish that task.

If you wish to give this Rememberance of an article a going over...you can link to it by clicking on this:

AMERICA: THE HOME FRONT

Hope you enjoy the article as well as it being informative in some areas.

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cshortridge73@gmail.com

THE BUILDING OF THE LIBERTY SHIPS

SPEED AND PRODUCTIVITY IN MULTIPLE PRODUCTION

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I realize that the subject of "Building the Liberty Ship" has been, and is noted several times on the internet.  Alot of 'stats' has been noted, such has what shipyards was involved....assigned numbers, how long they was on the 'Ways' ...so on and so forth.  All important data to be offered to those such as myself that studies and documents the history of such vessels, but.....yea....there is always a "but" isn't there?

Well that "but" is.......have you ever read 'between the lines' at just how these 'freighters, tankers and so on...called "Ugly Ducklings"...come about to be built...the concept behind them ....and actually attempting to build a ship that we more or less starting out didn't have a clue on what we were doing....but 'learned how to do this as we went along.'

Now I'm not going to set  here and give you a 'thumbnail' on this article....in my opinion...since I'm the one that has sore finger tips and aching shoulder muscles from banging it out...it offers the reader some insight that is truly something that the reader will wrap their mind around ....and in the end....well say to themselves...."Wow....how in the hell did they do that?"  I'll let you read this 13 page or so article and see if you come up with that same conclusion.....

So...if you want to wander in and get your feet wet in this article you can click on this:

THE BUILDING OF THE LIBERTY'S

Hopefully....it will be interesting....offer you some knowledge of what took place in amassing such a vessel...and you get a feel for the undertaking this must have taken.

Enjoy!!

cshortridge73@gmail.com