Moar Pics!

halmakeup Ekim 14, 2022

Happy July! As we're fixin' (for all you folks who don't have the good fortune to be from Texas, fixin' means "about to", OGF out) to enter our Country's 243rd year as the "Beacon of Freedom" to the world, Happy Fourth of July!

The Juvat Clan will have a semi-traditional Fourth. That means parking my Truck on Main Street early on the 3rd and leaving it overnight. The next morning, slathering up in SPF 9 million sunscreen, a hat and light weight long sleeve shirt and sitting on the bed of said truck for about 4 hours for the parade. MBD and SIL will be splitting the Holiday between the two families. We get them on the 3rd and the morning of the 4th, so they'll be joining us for the parade then visiting his family for fireworks and BBQ. My Niece (as yet un-callsigned), my nephew-in-law (Ditto) and Grand-Niece and Grand-Nephew will be joining us also. Unfortunately, Little Juvat and LJW are back in the sandbox and, having used all their leave and, more importantly, miles, will not be joining us.

After the parade, and later that evening, we'll rendezvous at the airport for the fireworks display. It's always a lot of fun.

Hope yours is as well.

Had a topic for today's post, but frankly, it irritated the snot out of me, so not wishing to harsh your mellow, I elected not to write it this week. Yes, the verb in that last clause is a clue as to the subject.

So....You get pictures and then a pop quiz.

In the comments after last week's post, were several requests for more Normandy pictures. We here, on the rowing deck of the good ship Chant du Départ (I think that's French for "Lollypop") aim to please. Well, except when Sarge wants us to take him water skiing after lunch.

Photo #1

This is actually a monument to one of the most important pieces of equipment used during the most critical phase of the invasion, the landing. This is a mockup of the "Higgins Boat", the Landing Craft used by US forces.

What I didn't know about the Higgins Boat operations in almost all theaters was that they were skippered almost entirely by members of the US Coast Guard. Little things like that are why I get so bored when folks say "The XXX won World War II". The only correct answer when solving for XXX is "Allies". Not Bombers, Submarines, Real Marines, Army, Navy blah, blah, fricking blah, ad nauseam.

Photo #2

Anyhoo....Here's a bit more info about the monument.

Photo #3


Photo #4

This is another monument on Utah Beach. This one is dedicated to the US Navy folks that were involved in the invasion. The three figures represent as follows.

The figure to the left represents a Sailor loading a gun for the Naval Bombardment.

The figure to the right represents the Naval Combat Demolition units (later they would be SEALS) who came ashore to eliminate obstacles and took very high casualties.

The figure in the middle represents the leadership in the operations. (their words not mine)


Photo #5

Photo #6

I think this is a very succinct summary of what happened throughout Normandy on that day. This is the best summary King Google could give me about Private J. T. Rowe.

Just normal kids...Serving their country.

So....Pop Quiz time. (Which is why all the photo's have been numbered.)

What are the proper nomenclature (or popular name) for each of the following objects? (Starting at #7, Beans)