81st Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Herbert Jacobson-- Part 4: The USS Oklahoma Rolled Over

Seven of my blogs today will be about Pearl Harbor and this story which started in my RoadDog's RoadLog blog.

During the attack, the Japanese hit the USS Oklahoma with numerous torpedoes and the ship rapidly rolled over and sank.  Many of the men, including Herbert Jacobson, were trapped in the upturned hull and a few were cut free through intense efforts of sailors and civilian Navy Yard employees.

But the attack resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen aboard the USS Oklahoma, including Herbert Jacobson.  In all, 2,402 Americans were killed that day, when Japanese forces attacked much of the U.S. Pacific fleet.

It took several years before the remains of the 429 deceased USS Oklahoma sailors entombed in the ship to be recovered.  Many of the remains were commingled because there was so little left of the bodies.

Continued in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.

Getting In the Yule Spirit-- Part 1: Army-Navy Football Game and "Guardians of the Galaxy"

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14

We went to the McHenry (Illinois) American Legion where we watched the Army-Navy college football game in Philadelphia.  The place was nearly full of folks pulling for the Army or the Navy and lots of banter and boasting going on.

I had been pulling for the Army the last ten years because of Navy's domination.  I just have a tendency to pull for the underdogs.  But, since Army had won the last three games, I was pulling for my real favorite, Navy.  I won a Navy hat.

And the Army fans were having quite the good time early on, but eventually the better team won.

Went to Sunnyside, came home and watched my favorite superhero movie "Guardians of the Galaxy."

--RoadLord


DID YOU KNOW:  Dueling is legal in Peru as long as both parties are registered blood donors.

I'd Celebrate That!! October 33-October 28: American Beer Day This Saturday

OCTOBER 22, MONDAY--  Nut Day**  Love my nuts.  Sure glad I don't have one of those peanut allergies.

OCTOBER 23, TUESDAY--  IPod Day**  Whatever that is.  Boston Cream Pie Day**

OCTOBER 24, WEDNESDAY--  National Bologna Day**  My Bologna has a First name, It is O-s-c-a-r."  What;s the last name?    National Good & Plenty Day   "Charlie Says."

OCTOBER 25, THURSDAY--  National Greasy Foods Day**  The greasier the Better.  Sourest Day.  The more sour, the better.

OCTOBER 26, FRIDAY--  Pumpkin Day**  No Chunkin' allowed.  Chicken Fried Steak Day**  One of  my favorites.

OCTOBER 27, SATURDAY--  Navy Day**  Anchors Away me Boys.  American Beer Day**  Will definitely drink to that.

OCTOBER 28, SUNDAY--  Mother-In-Law Day**   I certainly got along with my mother-in-law, Frances.

Hoist One for Beer Day!!  --RoadDog

HOW TO LIE TO THE BATHROOM SCALE:  Stand with arms raised, making pressure on thescale lighter.

I'd Celebrate That!!!! October 8 to 14: Happy 243rd Birthday U.S. Navy on Saturday

**  I'd Celebrate That.

OCTOBER 8, MONDAY--  Columbus Day**   Native American Day**   His coming was not a red letter day for them.

OCTOBER 9, TUESDAY--  Sub/Hoagie/Hero day**   I love 'em all.

OCTOBER 10, WEDNESDAY--  ER Nurses Day**   Mental Health Day**

OCTOBER 11, THURSDAY--  Sausage Pizza Day**   Well, but it would be better more loaded with "Stuff."  The more the better.

OCTOBER 12, FRIDAY--  Farmers Day**  And we have a bunch of them around the Spring Grove, Illinois, area.   Gumbo Day**  Bon Ton, you know.

OCTOBER 13, SATURDAY--  U.S. Navy's 243rd Birthday**   Anchors Aweigh Mr Boys!!!    Motorcycle Ride Day   I'd love to, but too scared.

OCTOBER 14, SUNDAY--  Bald & Free Day**    Clergy Appreciation Day**

--RoadDog

From Great Lakes Navy Base to Kelly's 40th to Spring Grove Pub

SEPTEMBER 15, SATURDAY

I called my brother Bob in Goldsboro, N.C., who said he was without power as expected because of Hurricane Florence and there are many trees down.  he had eight inches of water in his basement.

Went to the Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society meeting and heard an interesting presentation on the Great Lakes Navy Base in North Chicago.  It dates to 1911 and is the only Navy training base in the United States.

Later, we went to the Legion for Kelly's 40th birthday party.  Great food and the band Ask Jimmy outside on the grounds overlooking Nippersink Lake.

Afterwards to Spring Grove Pub.

SEPTEMBER 16, SUNDAY

Went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for the Packer-Viking game.  It is always more fun to watch the Pack in Wisconsin for some reason.  Unfortunately, after dominating the game early on, the Pack (we pull for the Packers unless they play Da Bears) let Minnesota back into the game and it ended up tied after overtime.

--ToadDog

Cold, But Good Times

FRIDAY, DEC. 13TH:

Enjoyed Christmas lights in Wauconda and stopped at Main Street Outfitters in Wauconda, Illinlis, and saw Terry and Greg Spizzirri perform for a couple hours.

SATURDAY, DEC. 14TH:

Morning and early afternoon spent preparing for tomorrow's Bears party at the house. In the afternoon we went to the American Legion for their Annual Army-Navy football game party. Enjoyed talking with friends and sure wish Army could have done a better game. I'm more a Navy/Marine fan, but with Navy's dominance over the last eleven years, I wanted Army to win. I tend to always pull for the underdogs. Then, we went to the Captain's Quarters pot luck dinner party.

SUNDAY, DEC. 15TH:

Final preps for Bears party. We figure we had 30 people attend and the Bears, despite some mighty poor play, even were nice enough to win. Everyone was impressed with the new TVs. Afterwards, about ten people stuck around for Name-That-Tune and watched the Packer game (even though some of the ranid Bear fans were pulling for Dallas to win). Last folks left at 8.

Good Time. --RoadDog

JSIS: Revolution-- USS Guardian

JSIS--  Just Some Interesting Stuff

1.  REVOLUTION--  This TV show usually films in Wilmington, NC, (I didn't know that) but recently blocked off Main Street in Burgaw, NC, and put rusty cars in for a scene.  They were looking for extras.  Darn.  I shoulda been.  I like this show.


2.  USS GUARDIAN--  US Navy minelayer USS Guardian is scheduled to be cut to pieces.  On Jan. 17th, it ran aground on a reef in the Philippines.  It cannot be towed off without seriously damaging the reef which is a Philippine national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Well, I guess that's one way to lose a Navy ship.

Just Some Interesting Stuff.  --RoadDog

Thank a Vet

If you're enjoying your freedom right now, you really should thank a vet. There are those who are jealous of us and who would be more than happy to take it away. Only that thin line of brave Americans stand between their objective.

Today is their day and one well-deserved.

In my family, my cousin Graham was a Navy pilot in Vietnam. Uncle Delbert was in WWII and at the Battle of the Bulge. Cousin Phillip was in the Navy. Daddy Graham, my grandfather on my mother's side, was in WW I. Nor Nor, my grandfather on my dad's side was in the Merchant Marine during WW I.

A Salute to Those Who Served. --RoadDog

Earl Morse's Honor Flights

I came across an article in the American Profile magazine about Earl Morse, who has started up an organization called Honor Flight, which takes WWII veterans to the National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC, at absolutely no cost to themselves.

Morse is a retired Air Force Captain and a licensed pilot. While working at the US Department of Veterans Affairs medical clinic in Springfield, Ohio, in 2004, he asked a patient, 78-year-old WWII vet Leonard Loy, if he was going to visit the new memorial. Loy said he didn't have enough money. Morse was already planning on flying his father, a Vietnam vet, to DC to see the Wall. Would Loy care to come with them? An idea was born.

Morse founded the non-profit Honor Flight Network in 2005, and has since taken over 1000 WWII vets to the memorial.

This is a man who has accomplished a great thing.

You can find out more at www.americanprofile.com "Honor Flight" by Marcia Schonberg July 29-Aug. 4, 2007.

My cousin Graham, a US Navy pilot during the Vietnam War, was involved with mercy flights to get people to hospitals for operations who could not afford to do it, for many years. I'll have to contact him to find out more about what he did.

My Great Thanks To People Who Do Things Like This. -- RoadDog

Now That's Impressive!- A Naval Retirement

Yesterday, I attended a friend's retirement from 23 years in the US Navy. My friend, Larry, retired as a Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate (Surface Warfare) and it was held at the Fox Lake American Legion Post 703.

Now, this was one impressive ceremony. Every naval person was in dress uniform and there were quite a few. We had a lot of speakers recounting his career and service. His wife Carrie received awards for being a Navy wife and getting through the times of extended deployment. That was a good idea, as a married Navy man is just as good as his wife is. Now, that might be a husband as there were quite a few women sailors there.

I was impressed with the Shadow Box Tradition, where one in the shape of a ship's wheel was presented and had momentos of every service station and ship he served on. The tradition goes back to the British Navy where it was considered bad luck for a sailor, on his final departure from the ship, to have his shadow hit the pier before he left the ship. In order to prevent this, his shipmates would construct a box of the finest timber and place within it all things that reflected his accomplishments. In this way, he could safely leave the ship.

The Olde Glory Ceremony was something else. While a person read the story, about ten naval personnel slowly and officiously passed a folded flag down the line, each one saluting and placing the flag by their heart before slowly turning to the next in line and repeating the process until it got to Larry. Some of it went: "I am the flag of the United States of America. My name is Old Glory. I fly atop the world's tallest buildings. I stand watch in America's halls of justice. I stand guard with the greatest military power in the world."

Then it went through a list of battles it was at: "I have fought every battle of every war for more than 200 years: Gettysburg, Shiloh, Appomattox, San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome, the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Guam, Okinawa, Tarawa, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq and a score of places long forgotten by all but those who were with me."

Then there was "The Watch" ceremony, where the creed was read and then the other military people stood, saluted, and individually declared that they would be taking over the watch for Larry. Some of that went: "For over 23 years, this Senior Chief has stood the watch...and yes, even before some of us were born. In those days when the storm clouds of war were seen brewing on the horizons...this Senior Chief stood the watch. Many times he would cast an eye to the shore and see his family standing there, needing his guidance and help, needing that hand to hold during those times, but he stood the watch..."

At the end, Larry was piped off, past a line of Navy people. That pipe is haunting.

Larry was raised in Round Lake and enlisted in the Navy in 1984. I never had him in class, however. He was out of the Navy a short time, but reenlisted and participated in Operation Desert Storm. He has been involved in recruiting and a teacher at Great Lakes in North Chicago. He was also involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This, as I said, was an impressive ceremony, a far cry from what my school district did after my 33 years of service where I got a breakfast and a small clock.

My cousin Graham was a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War.

Very Proud of ALL of our Servicemen and women. --RoadDog