Old Sailors' Almanac

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

Week 41, 2015

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U.S. and South Vietnamese navies commence Operation Sealords on October 8, 1968

U.S. and South Vietnamese navies commence Operation Sealords on October 8, 1968

U.S. and South Vietnamese navies commence Operation Sealords: Operation Sealords is launched in the Mekong Delta by U.S. and South Vietnamese forces.


This operation was ordered by newly appointed Commander Naval Forces Vietnam, Vice-Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., who established Task Force 194 to operate along the canals and less-traveled waterways of the Mekong Delta to interdict Viet Cong infiltration routes from Cambodia. Additionally, TF 194 was to harass Communist forces in the area and, with the assistance of ground and air forces, pacify the Delta region.


Under Zumwalt’s direction, U.S. and South Vietnamese naval forces worked together to secure the waterways of the Mekong Delta. When the Vietnamization program began in 1969, the U.S. Navy instituted ACTOV (Accelerated Turnover to Vietnam), the Navy’s Vietnamization plan, and by April 1971, all Sealords operations had been turned over to the South Vietnamese Navy. History Channel / Wikipedia (Operation_Sealords‎) Brown-water navy) / NAVY Declassified Confidential / WarBoats.org / Operation SEALORDS - DTIC.mil


Babe Ruth sets a World Series record on October 6, 1926

Babe Ruth sets a World Series record on October 6, 1926

Babe Ruth sets a World Series record: On October 6, 1926, Yankee slugger Babe Ruth hits a record three homers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth game of the World Series. The Yanks won the game 10-5, but despite Ruth’s unprecedented performance, they lost the championship in the seventh game. In 1928, in the fourth game of another Yanks-Cards World Series, Ruth tied his own record, knocking three more pitches out of the same park.


The 1926 championship promised to be an exciting one. The AL champs had a powerful lineup, later called the “Murderer’s Row”, that included the great Babe, the young “Columbia Lou” Gehrig, and the leadoff man Earle Combs. For their part, the Cardinals had the intimidating Rogers Hornsby along with ace pitchers Flint Rhem and Bill Sherdel.


But the Yanks were heavily favored, and they won the first game easily. They lost the second, though, thanks to an outstanding full-game performance from St. Louis pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander. The next day, Cardinal Jessie Haines pitched the whole game–and hit the only home run–in his team’s 4-0 Game 3 victory.


By the fourth game in the series, the underdog Cards were up two games to one. The Yanks needed to pull it together, and for one game, they did. Veteran Waite Hoyt pitched all nine innings while St. Louis shuffled through its entire bullpen. And the Babe–the Sultan of Swat, the Caliph of Clout, the Wali of Wallop–hit his three homers and led the Yanks to a 10-5 victory. Unfortunately for the Bombers, that game didn’t decide the series. Though they won the next game in 10 innings, they lost the next one by eight runs. And they were losing the seventh game by one run in the ninth inning when the Bambino stepped to the plate again. With a 3-2 count, Ruth drew his eleventh walk of the series and trotted off to first base. The Yanks’ hopes plummeted as quickly as they’d risen, though, when second baseman Hornsby nabbed him as he tried somewhat ploddingly to steal second. The game was over. Thanks to the magical Bambino, the Bombers had lost.


On October 18, 1977, Yankee Reggie Jackson became only the second player to hit three homers in a single Series game. History Channel / Wikipedia / Library of Congress / Babe Ruth


U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier USS Washington (U.S.Navy.mil)

The Old Salt’s Corner

Hull-down

In sailing and warfare, hull-down means that the upper part of a vessel or vehicle is visible, but the main, lower body (hull) is not; the opposite term hull-up means that all of the body is visible. The terms originated with sailing and naval warfare in which the curvature of the earth causes an approaching vessel to be first visible “sails-up”. Beginning in the 20th century, hull-down has also been used in armored warfare.


In modern armored warfare, hull-down is a position taken up by an armored fighting vehicle (AFV) so that its hull (the main part of the vehicle) is behind a crest or other raised ground, but its turret (or a superstructure or roof-mounted weapon) is exposed. Turret-down is the position in which the vehicle's crew can observe forward from roof hatches, but the vehicle is completely hidden (usually a few meters further back from a hull-down position). The belly armor should not be exposed, because it is vulnerable to even modest antitank weapons.


“I’m Just Sayin’”

“I’m Just Sayin’”

Do cemetery workers prefer the graveyard shift?


“Thought for the Day”

“Thought for the Day”

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

~ Confucius


“What I Have Learned”

“What I Have Learned”

“Work Hard in Silence, let success make the noise!”

~ Anonymous


Bizarre News (we couldn’t make up stuff this good – real news story)

Bizarre News (we couldn’t make up stuff this good – real news story)

Teen prosecuted as adult for having naked images – of himself – on phone

Teen prosecuted as adult for having naked images – of himself – on phone

Cormega Copening, 17, and his girlfriend Brianna Denson, 16, of Fayetteville, N.C., are old enough to have sex (“adults”, according to state law) but apparently too young to exchange nude photos.


Copening was charged with five counts of “sexual exploitation” - for receiving “sexts” from Denson and having nude photos of himself on his phone (i.e., “exploiting” himself).


Olson accepted a lesser sentence and is serving a tedious, restrictive probation; she had also been charged with self-exploiting.


After much criticism for threatening felony charges and sex-offender registration, prosecutors offered Copening a similar tedious, restrictive probation in September.

The Guardian (09/20/2015) Fox News (09/04/2015) Fayetteville Observer (09/02/2015)


Why Do Popes Change Their Names?

Mr. Answer Man Please Tell Us: Why Do Popes Change Their Names?

When Jorge Bergoglio visited the United States, his trip made headlines, just like the visits of Karol Wojtyla and Giovanni Montini. Bergoglio is better known as Pope Francis; John Paul II and Paul VI were his predecessors.


But why do cardinals change their names when they are elected pope? There is no strict doctrine requiring it. For centuries men assuming the top job in the Roman Catholic Church kept their birth names.


The first person to adopt a new moniker was Pope John II in 533. Born Mercurio, he felt it unwise to have the name of a pagan god while serving as pontiff. His successors went back to the old way of doing things until Pietro Canepanova was chosen pope in 983. He did not want to use the name of St. Peter, the first pope, and so switched to John XIV. He was followed by Giovanni di Gallina Alba, who retained his birth name and became John XV. After his death in 956, popes began using an alias, known as a regnal name, on a regular basis. The last pope to use his real name was Adrian VI in 1522 (he was also the last non-Italian elected until 1978).


The regnal name is frequently chosen with a purpose. Bergoglio selected Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, foreshadowing his commitment to the poor. Albino Luciani, following after John XXIII and Paul VI, dubbed himself John Paul. He died after a 33-day reign. Wojtyla styled himself John Paul II in his memory.


The most popular name has been John, used by 21 men, even though the most recent was John XXIII. There have been 16 Gregorys and 15 Benedicts. Francis is one of 44 popes to have a unique name.


Catholic Answers (Non-repeated Pope names) / Catholic Answers (Why do Popes take new names?)Mental FlossWikipedia


Where Did That Saying Come From? “Barrels of Oil”

Where Did That Saying Come From?

Barrels of Oil:” When the first oil wells were drilled they had made no provision for storing the liquid so they used water barrels. That is why, to this day, we speak of barrels of oil rather than gallons.
Aoghs.org


NAVSPEAK aka U.S. Navy Slang - U.S. Navy America's Navy - A Global Force For Good

NAVSPEAK aka U.S. Navy Slang


F.U.B.A: Female of Unusually Broad Ass. Navy female with said condition.


F.U.B.A.R: Fouled up beyond all repair, F**ked up beyond all recognition. (Foobar) {F**ked up beyond all recognition}.


F.U.B.I.J.A.R: F**k You Buddy, I'm Just A Reservist ("backbone of the Navy").


F.U.B.Y.O.Y.O.: F**k U Buddy, You're On You're Own (self explanatory).


Just for MARINES - U.S. Marines Marines - The Few. The Proud.

Just for you MARINE


Good Cookie: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. The Air Force in 2006 stopped issuing Good Conduct Medals saying that good conduct was normal conduct and it made no sense to reward normal behavior. Marines have a slightly different approach to the concept.


Good to go: A phrase delivered with the usual Marine exuberance meaning I am ready or the piece of equipment is ready or that despite what may appear to be obstacles, the mission will be completed.


Gook: (Not PC) A crude term for anyone of oriental extraction - particularly an enemy (North Korean, North Vietnamese). The term began during the Korean war as the Korean character for American is pronounced “me-gook”. Children in particular would point to the American GIs and say “me-gook” and the gesture was misinterpreted. The GIs quickly began calling Koreans “gooks” and the term was revived in Vietnam to mean all Asian peoples.


Naval Aviation Squadron Nicknames

Naval Aviation Squadron Nicknames

VAW-121 - Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121: “Blue Tails”
NAS Norfolk, Virginia


The Strange, Mysterious or Downright Weird

The Strange, Mysterious or Downright Weird

Adam Rainer was both a giant as well as a dwarf over the course of his lifetime - the only man in history to be so

Adam Rainer was both a giant as well as a dwarf over the course of his lifetime - the only man in history to be so

Born in Austria in 1899, Adam Rainer stood at 4’8.3″ at the age of 19. His “dwarfism” led him to be rejected by the army for being too short and too weak when he tried to enlist. At the age of 21, Rainer suddenly began sprouting up at an alarming rate, growing to be 7’10” within a decade. Along with a growth in height, he also developed severe spinal curvature.


This sudden growth spurt was attributed to acromegaly; in Rainer’s case, a tumor on his pituitary gland caused an overproduction of the growth hormone, which resulted in his abnormally large hands and feet, as well as his protruding forehead and jaw, along with thick lips and wide-set teeth. RedditThe Tallest Man


© CEASAR CHOPPY by cartoonist Marty Gavin - archives Ceasar Choppy's Navy! “© CEASAR CHOPPY” by Marty Gavin

SONG FACTS

“Wake Up Little Susie” - The Everly Brothers 1957

“Wake Up Little Susie” - The Everly Brothers
Album: The Everly Brothers - They're Off And Running!
Released 1957 video

This was written by the husband and wife team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who wrote most of The Everly Brothers songs in the '50s. Their songs were also recorded by Bob Dylan, Elvis, and Buddy Holly.


This is about a young couple who fall asleep at the drive-in, realize they are out past curfew, and make up a story to tell Susie's parents.


Some Boston radio stations banned this because of the lyrics, which imply that the young couple spent the night together. At the time, staying out late with a girl was a little controversial.


For The Everly Brothers, this was the first of 4 US #1 hits. It also went to #1 on the Country & Western charts.


Simon and Garfunkel played this at their 1981 concert in Central Park. The live recording was released as a single the next year and hit #27 in the US.


Chet Atkins played guitar on this. Atkins, who died of cancer in 2001, was a Nashville musician who created a distinctive sound using a 3-fingered picking technique.

The Everly Brothers official site / Rock & Roll Hall of Fame / All Music / Song Facts / Wikipedia

Image: “The Everly Brothers - They're Off And Running!‎ (album)” by The Everly Brothers


Trivia

Trivia

● Charlie Brown's dad is a barber.


● The 1984 film Red Dawn was the first to garner a PG-13 rating.


● George S. Patton, the man who helped drive the Nazis out of North Africa and liberate Sicily during World War II, believed he’d fought in North Africa and Sicily centuries before. A staunch believer in reincarnation, Patton claimed to have fought during the Punic Wars as both a Roman legionnaire and as the Carthaginian general Hannibal.


People Who Know Everything

A Test for People Who Know Everything

On November 18th, 1913, pilot Lincoln Beachy did something that had never been done in an airplane before. What was it?

Answer for People Who Do Not Know Everything, or Want to Verify Their AnswerNational Aviation


Answer to Last Week's Test

The Stanley Cup hockey have been cancelled one time throughout its history. What year was it cancelled and why?

Answer: A flu outbreak canceled the 1919 Stanley Cup when too many players were too ill to play past the fifth game. CBS SPorts


Joke of the Day

Joke of the Day

A married couple is sleeping when the phone rings at 3 a.m. The wife picks up the phone and, after a few seconds, replies, “How am I supposed to know? We're 200 miles inland!” and hangs up.


Her husband rolls over and asks, “Sweetheart, who was that?”


“I don't know, some dumb bitch asking if the coast is clear.”