[robtcorl]

don’t stick your head into the open mouth of a lion?

How else is it possible to get your head in there?

[robtcorl]

Really rough couple of days and nights.
Not sure if it was a total relapse or a last hurrah for my upper respiratory issue, either way it was a bitch!
Much better today, so far.

[CharLac]

Hmm, thanks for the warning... It does sound way too short. I think a TV series is a better format for complicated stories like this one.

And thanks for the tip! "Shattered Sword" sounds interesting.

This narrated animation on Youtube helped me a lot in understanding the events of the battle. Still waiting for the second part, though.

The Battle of Midway 1942: Told from the Japanese Perspective (1/2) - YouTube

He has some other battle videos, too, like the Coral Sea and Pearl Harbor: Montemayor - YouTube

Excellent!

[gaweidert]

I'll have to see this movie sometime, though I find that with several movies, trying to cram too much into too little time.
I'm a stickler for accuracy in historical movies, even if they aren't trying for it in the movie

Have you seen Dunkirk?
Obviously not a documentary, however I was quite pleased with it.

Once I understood the movie layout I enjoyed it. A lot of people did not like it, but if you were a soldier on the beach, an RAF pilot or a skipper on one of the small boats, it was exactly how you experienced the battle.


My father in law was in the USMC (United Stated Marine Corps) from 1938 -1948. He arrived in Pearl Harbor on December 1, 1941. After the attack, his unit was being shipped to Wake Island when Admiral Kimmel realized that they could not do any good there. So they were sent to Midway Island instead so he was there during the battle.


On the night of November 14/15, 1942 he was a Marine fighting on Guadalcanal. That night the Japanese sent a bombardment fleet of 1 battleship, 5 cruisers and 9 destroyers to shell the Marine forces there. This in preparation of them landing more Japanese soldiers as part of an attack to recapture the island. The Japanese naval forces were confronted with about all the US Navy had left in the area. 2 battleships and 4 destroyers.


Early in the battle the 4 US destroyers were either sunk or knocked out of the fight. One of the battleships (South Dakota) sailed between the burning destroyers and Japanese fleet and got pounded pretty good and withdrew from the fight. This left the other battleship (Washington) to stem the tide. The Japanese had not located her yet and the first intimation that they had form her was when she opened up on them sinking the Japanese battleship and one of their destroyers. The Washington was using radar controlled gunfire for the first time in naval history.


Not needing searchlights for finding enemy ships at night gave them a huge advantage. Up until that point the Japanese had been the best night fighting navy in the world. The gunfire from the Washington was so accurate and the results so spectacular (The Japanese battleship was knocked out of action in 2 minutes and sunk a few hours later) that the Japanese Admiral abandoned his mission of shelling Guadalcanal.


My father was a gun captain in the #3 turret of the Washington. He supervised the loading of the gun and stool about 3 feet to the side when it went off. Each shot consumed 660 pounds of gunpowder. Watching that gun recoil six feet into the turret from that distance must been pretty intense. That night my father may have helped save the life of the Marine who later became my father in law. Small world.

---

Last edited by gaweidert; 12-11-2019 at 07:28 AM.

[FantasticMrFox]

Really rough couple of days and nights.
Not sure if it was a total relapse or a last hurrah for my upper respiratory issue, either way it was a bitch!
Much better today, so far.

Mh, I haven't followed the thread for a long time, so I don't know whether you have disclosed your issue. My medical curiosity compels me to ask what it is (unless you don't want to talk about it, of course)?

[Racer X 69]

How else is it possible to get your head in there?

Well I suppose one could approach it from the rear.

[Racer X 69]

Really rough couple of days and nights.
Not sure if it was a total relapse or a last hurrah for my upper respiratory issue, either way it was a bitch!
Much better today, so far.

Didn’t you get a flu shot, Bob?

[savoche]

don’t stick your head into the open mouth of a lion?

How else is it possible to get your head in there?

That is a very good point. You can hardly stick your head into the closed mouth of a lion, can you.

Good to have you back on your feet, Bob. We need your wisdom.

[savoche]

Well I suppose one could approach it from the rear.

I'm not convinced it would be the quickest nor the most comfortable way to your goal.

Or to put it another way; it stinks.

[savoche]

Once I understood the movie layout I enjoyed it. A lot of people did not like it, but if you were a soldier on the beach, an RAF pilot or a skipper on one of the small boats, it was exactly how you experienced the battle.


My father in law was in the USMC (United Stated Marine Corps) from 1938 -1948. He arrived in Pearl Harbor on December 1, 1941. After the attack, his unit was being shipped to Wake Island when Admiral Kimmel realized that they could not do any good there. So they were sent to Midway Island instead so he was there during the battle.


On the night of November 14/15, 1942 he was a Marine fighting on Guadalcanal. That night the Japanese sent a bombardment fleet of 1 battleship, 5 cruisers and 9 destroyers to shell the Marine forces there. This in preparation of them landing more Japanese soldiers as part of an attack to recapture the island. The Japanese naval forces were confronted with about all the US Navy had left in the area. 2 battleships and 4 destroyers.


Early in the battle the 4 destroyers were either sunk or knocked out of the fight. One of the battleships (South Dakota) sailed between the burning destroyers and Japanese fleet and got pounded pretty good and withdrew from the fight. This left the other battleship (Washington) to stem the tide. The Japanese had not located her yet and the first intimation that they had form her was when she opened up on them sinking the Japanese battleship and one of their destroyers. The Washington was using radar controlled gunfire for the first time in naval history.


Not needing searchlights for finding enemy ships at night gave them a huge advantage. Up until that point the Japanese had been the best night fighting navy in the world. The gunfire from the Washington was so accurate and the results so spectacular (The Japanese battleship was knocked out of action in 2 minutes and sunk a few hours later) that the Japanese Admiral abandoned his mission of shelling Guadalcanal.


My father was a gun captain in the #3 turret of the Washington. He supervised the loading of the gun and stool about 3 feet to the side when it went off. Each shot consumed 660 pounds of gunpowder. Watching that gun recoil six feet into the turret from that distance must been pretty intense. That night my father may have helped save the life of the Marine who later became my father in law. Small world.

Small world. And small margins in the madness that is war. The outcome could so easily have been different for the individuals involved.

[MarkJerling]

Only had 3 kangaroos and 1 deer try to say hello to my van on tonights run.

The rest must be out christmas shopping.


Dave

So, you're sorted for meat for the BBQ for Christmas day?

[MarkJerling]

I'll have to see this movie sometime, though I find that with several movies, trying to cram too much into too little time.
I'm a stickler for accuracy in historical movies, even if they aren't trying for it in the movie

Have you seen Dunkirk?
Obviously not a documentary, however I was quite pleased with it.

I've seen Dunkirk twice. Very good movie.

[MarkJerling]

I know. It's the same with glacier tourism. With all the idiots ignoring the warning signs and going right up to the ice front some will inevitably get killed by falling blocks of ice. Then follow the stupid questions; why wasn't there a fence, why wasn't there a taller fence, why was there no warnings in Babylonian?

[MarkJerling]

Actually, there will be as they won't be any glaciers left soon

Don't believe the hype. These things come and go. Give it another thousand years or so and they'll be back with a vengeance.

[MarkJerling]

Well I suppose one could approach it from the rear.

That reminded me of a joke I once posted in the Joke Thread:

An Englishman, Scotsman and Irishman walk into a bar and begin drinking. Soon they noticed a large glass vase of gold coins in the corner and asked the barman what was it there for.

The Barman told then: "that is there is the prize for anyone who can 1: Drink a full bottle of tequila in two minutes; 2: Go into that room over there with a lion inside and pull a thorn from the lions foot; 3: finally go upstairs and make love to a 100 year old woman".

The Prize money was too much for the men to pass over so they agreed to try.

The Englishman goes first, but after only half the tequila he collapses drunk.

The Scotsman is next. He downs the tequila and staggers to the lions room. The door is closed and there is a massive scream and soon afterwards he stumbles back out of the room with his hand bitten off.

The Irishman drinks the tequila and stumbles towards the lions room. The door is closed behind him and almost immediately there are massive screams and shouts coming from behind the door, screams which last for nearly ten minutes... There is banging up against the sides of the door and everything and then silence. The Irishman emerges battered, bleeding and torn - "Now" he slurs "Where is that lady with the thorn in her foot"