The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Waal River Crossing - Sep. 20th, 1944

An interview with Thomas Pitt
S-1, Third Battalion,
504th Parachute Regiment

Problems began to develop when elements of the 505th could not seize the bridge across the Waal River in the town of Nijmegen. At that point meanwhile, the British finally came up there. They attempted a frontal assault a couple of times and couldn’t get it. Anyway the plan was thought up then, by someone to send the troops across the river down from the bridge. There was a factory about a mile from where the bridge was and they were gonna have boats and go across in the boats and come up the other side and take the bridge from both sides at once. Then they would have the Krauts trapped between the two forces and they would probably surrender.

The 3rd Battalion of the 504, (our outfit) was selected to be the guinea pigs. So the first thing that was to occur prior to the actual crossing was that we were to get some air cover. British Spitfires (typhoons) that had long range capability were operating (I believe) out of somewhere in France. Finally after some delay, two spitfires came over and started to strafe the opposite banks and on the opposite dike where the Krauts were dug in and all. About the second pass, they (the Germans) got one of the Spitfires and the other one went home. So that was the end of the air cover.

The British had these large tanks; I forget the name of it (Shermans). They were going to give us some artillery fire and first laid down some fire. There were about some eight or ten of them (tanks) that dug in up closer to the bridge from us. They opened fire and they put a lot of iron down in a short period, but in a couple of minutes the (German) counter battery came. I think about four or five of the tanks got hit and the others pulled out.

They then told us to get the boats and go across the river. The boat was like a canvass material with a wood frame to it and it held about twelve men in a boat. We had to paddle to get it across. We took the boats and came from behind the factory (where the Krauts I don’t think knew we were there). We started down across the sandy shore which was maybe 50 yards long till we got to the water. We were running with these boats and our weapons and what not. In addition to all that crap the old man (Major Cook) said you lay a telephone line across the river so when we can talk back to them, if we need support fire or something. We weren’t sure that the radios would work that distance with the one's we had. So I had a kid from the communications section join us with a roll of wire on a spindle-like thing.

We got into the damn boats and thought it at first it looked like rain in the water. Then we realized it was lead coming from the Krauts on the other side. And away we went. I’ll tell you we were paddling like mad to get across. Quite a few of the boats were overturned; guys in a lot of them were killed in the getting across the thing.

When we got over to the other side to the other bank of the water I don’t know how many boats we had lost in the river. It was a hell of a wide river. We got out of the boats. The two guys that where with us, (the two engineers) had to go back to the other side to get some more people. They had a hell of a time getting them back. By then the Krauts weren’t too worried about them. They were more worried about us. We were coming across another beach-like area (200 to 800 yards wide) before the final dike. They were dug in some on the beach and then back in the dike. We were running by them practically and they were just shooting. The only thing to do was to head for the dike because there wasn’t a Goddamed bit of cover anywhere else or anything. So we finally got about half way back to the dike and this kid whose is peeling off this wire and he says "I ran out of wire should I set the phone up here?" I said "hell with it kid just take it easy now and get to the dike. We will talk to them some other day."

So we finally got over to the dike. The Krauts on the other side. The dike must have been maybe ten yards or so wide at the top and they were on the backside. We spent a little time tossing grenades from one side or the other that was fun and games. They were there with their potato mashers and we had fragmentation grenades. So my job was to hold this left flank so as we moved down towards the bridge the Krauts wouldn’t turn and come behind us. So we proceeded to hold it (the dike). The Krauts tried to come across (the dike) a couple times and we discouraged them enough with what lead we gave them. They stayed there. It got a little later on and the first battalion guys came across. We had cleaned out what was on the beach. By then it started getting dark. It was getting late in the day. They (1st Battalion) came over and said they would take the left flank.

Well, I got my guys and we started down around the dike and towards the bridges. Needless to say the sun was coming down. We came to the first bridge and were crossing under was the railroad bridge. Platoon Sergeant Grouse was with me. When I looked up, I could see these guys and I yelled "Hay what outfit are you with?", figuring which company or what outfit was that. Oh man their was a couple of machine guns opened fire on us and we hit the sand and rolled over under the bridge. Grouse looked over at me and said "Lieutenant, I think they might have been from one of the panzer divisions, why did you want to know that?" He got me good on that one. The Krauts where still up on that bridge.

We went on along the dike-like thing, which really was under the bridge and along the other side. In the dark they didn’t bother us. By the time we got to the other side, I guess they didn’t see us or could care less. I think they had their own problems. We got down it must have been another third of a mile or so and came up where the Highway Bridge was across the river. By the time we got there Cook, who was the Battalion Commander was there. And then the first British tanks came roaring across the bridge. They cleaned it out there. Most of H Company (my old company) and G Company and what not came a little shortly afterwards. I don’t know how many of them. Then came a couple of jeeps and what not and there was (General) Gavin, the Division Commander and his radio man They came over in the jeep and came in this house and we had taken over like the command post that was right by the edge of the bridge. They had come in there to get the information and how we were and how the situation was and things like that. We had begun to take some probes out to see what was out in front of us there as from Arnhem. By then, it was dark practically and there came a British staff car along and out got the British commander. He was, I guess. the corp commander. I’m not sure who he was. But one of the wheels and he came on in with his folks with him and what not. (Col.) Tucker was there and (General) Gavin was there and (Major) Cook was there, myself(Lieutenant Pitt) and one of the communications officers. We were sort of in the back ground when you get wheels like that around.

Gavin said "We will put some men up on the tanks and in front of the tanks and lets head for Arnhem." I think it was 20 some miles or so it wasn’t far, you know. This British commander said "We don’t move our tanks at night." Gavin said "You don’t move them at night? Well if we wait till day light then they (the Germans) will move some stuff in." The Brit said "Well we can’t move tanks at night." Gavin said something to him, he said "If they were my men in Arnhem we would move tanks at night. We would move anything at night to get there." This guy said "We are not. We will move them in the morning."*

So we had a front out there oh, 500 yards to 1000 yards or more perimeter. Then morning came and that road to Arnhem was nothing but German armor and what not and everything. We got no more got started half way up the road. We didn’t get a couple of miles outside the place and that was it.

But final comments, … I don’t think that any man that went across that river that day in a boat and were fortunate enough to make the other side will ever in his life forget it. There is no way you can visualize what the devil it was like. I will never forget it and I have had dreams that I am back in the boat and I am paddling like mad.

An Interview with John Holabird,
307th Engineers,
504 RCT

On September 20, 1944 the war in the West depended on whether American Paratroopers could seize the Nijmegen Bridge before the Germans could destroy it. The fate of Operation Market Garden and 10,000 beleaguered British paratroopers trapped in Arnhem rested on the capture of the bridge. A daring daylight crossing of the Waal river was planned to capture the bridge.

Since our phone call of last week, I have been devling into my past – searching for – who knows what . . . . But you called me – and asked questions that no one has ever asked before – how I felt? What was it like? Before? After? During? And I gave you pretty trite answers. But our discussion has reopened all kinds of pores in my mind – I lie awake at night living or trying to relive – the Waal Crossing . . . .

Wednesday, September 20, 1944: Before the Crossing.

C Company, 307th Engineers had moved closer to the river -- I don’t remember if it was the night before or early in the morning. (I think the latter). Captain "Spike" Harris called me -- and together we walked up the power station on the Waal River with other C Company officers and platoon sergeants. I had no idea why we were going. I don’t think Spike knew much more. We met with Colonel Tucker (CO 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment), Major Cook and other field grade officers. I was sure something BIG was going on because ordinarily we wouldn’t have been party to all those upper ranks of officers. We walked upstairs in the empty power station -- as I recall very clean and modern. Got to the second floor or so and looked out over the river -- it was broad --couldn’t see much current but couldn’t tell from where we were. About then I began to understand what was up -- we were going to cross it - and the Engineers in the U.S. Army were the customary boatmen. Ergo, we were there to plot a night crossing. "Where were the boats?," we asked -- "Coming," they replied. "What kind of boats?" -- "Press out, British canvas assault boats." -- "How soon?" -- "Afternoon."

And then I began to understand that they were really serious about a daylight crossing. Wow! "Who’s going to protect us? That is one wide river" -- "We’ll lay in British armor to hit the other side and to lay down a smoke barrage so no one will be able to see."

It began to dawn on me that this was one rash daredevil idea -- and we engineers were going to be a big part of it.

I guess Spike and the rest of us went back to the company and we moved up in enfilade to the east of the power station on the down side of the levee or embankment. Spike said I was to take a squad of my platoon over first. Do what I could about miners and support infantry etc. etc. etc. I am not sure why he chose me -- but we were not accustomed to question such decisions.

Wednesday, September 20, 1944, 3 p.m.: The Crossing

I recall chaos around 3 p.m. The 3rd Battalion of the 504, some 500 men, were charging about. Officers yelling and what not -- plus our C Company of the 307 – about 100 or so men. I can’t remember being anything but numb -- not quite sure what was happening or what was about to happen.

At some point British tanks lined up behind the levee embankment with cannons heading up -- to send smoke -- plus shells across the Waal River. Finally some British Army "lorries" [trucks] arrived with the assault boats packed on -- I think there were two trucks, maybe more.

We sprang into action. After all, we were the so-called "river crossing experts." We hauled the boats down one by one. Did we figure out to press them out, or did some Brit show us? Who knows? Anyhow, we got one opened up, and I knew this was mine -- was there a command to move out? I can’t remember. I just knew we were supposed to crack this boat down the embankment across the sandy shore and across the fucking river. How did I feel? I was numb and frozen. If I really considered going across in daylight after all that creeping around behind the power station -- knowing what was probably waiting for us -- I suppose I would have crapped out. But I figured that if Spike and the big shots thought we could make it, why not?

So I rallied my squad; grabbed the boat and headed down the embankment about 15 feet. I think the canvas boat was heavier than it looked - then across sandy mud to the river’s edge and into the water. We pushed the boat out to where we could all step in. All hell was breaking loose. Tanks firing, smoke appearing and lots of small arms fire. I had lots of experience with canoes and row boats, plus a period on a freshman crew at Harvard. So I took the stern and shouted, "stroke!" - "stroke!" - "stroke!" as we wallowed across the Waal. I think we were eleven engineers and all had paddles -- five to a side and across we went. There was a whistling of bullets all around us but for some reason, no one was injured. We hit the other bank and took off like cowboys and Indians up the bank. Three of our guys were left to ferry the boat back to pick up another load. (I think they had the toughest job of all!).

Wednesday, September 20, 1944, 3:30 p.m.: After the Crossing

When we hit the shore we were elated! Intoxicated! We had somehow made it across that "broadside" of fire without a scratch. We scampered out of the boats and up the beach to higher ground and took off gradually east where we knew the highway bridge to be.

We didn’t find any mines -- we just ran and ran. We were eight young men, 19 to 23 years old, who had just won a new life and we dashed like a cavalry squadron. Nothing could stop us now! I think there were eight of us - me and seven of the squad -- we didn’t wait for the 504. Forward we ran. There was a pillbox in front of us -- who knows if there were any defenders. We tossed in grenades and shot ahead -- there were two houses. I think uninhabited but we tossed grenades there too and romped on. At some point I bethought me of duties as an officer -- wrote a brief note to Capt. Spike and sent it back by one of my engineers.

We spread out -- from here on I get hazy. I was down to six and we were hooping and hollering all over the place. We sounded to ourselves as if were single handedly to save the Bridge.

Like a bad officer, I got ahead of the group. I remember running through a large pasture; was surprised by the whistling of bullets going by; surprised by seeing dead cows up-ended; wondering of someone was really truing to shoot at me -- me -- the victorious crosser of the Waal. Finally, after and hour and a half, my euphoria began to wane. I found a little 6x6 house -- probably a farm implement storage. Took off my helmet and looked around. It must have been 5 or 5:30 by this time. Bullets still whistling around - but presumably not at me (I hoped) - I wondered what in the world I should be doing? No men, no mission, not really an infantry man conqueror. Two of my men arrived -- we took council -- wondered whether to proceed or get back to the beachhead.

At this point we discovered Major Cook and elements of the 3rd Battalion coming towards us in a ditch. I reported in to Major Cook, told him that everything was OK this far and since I had only two of my squad left I probably should see what I could do at the landing. And we three crawled over the top of some 20 504 men and gradually returned to the beach which was empty but for some battered boats and six dead troopers - not a very brilliant ending for our crossing.

Wednesday, September 20, 1944: Evening

Two of my squad and I remained at the beachhead overnight and made our way across the Waal when a boat came from the other side. My other three joined the 3rd Battalion, 504 moving forward. Sgt. Kero was killed firing a bazooka at a German Panzer (He was awarded a posthumous DSC). The other two returned safely.

I believe the company lost 4 of 5 KIA and about 12 WIA ( I have just found my "diary") of the Holland campaign and I notice that I hardly mention the river-crossing - I guess I was still stunned!).

'If they were my men in Arnhem we would move tanks at night. We would move anything at night to get there.'

-- General James Gavin
82nd Airborne Commander
On being told that the British would not move at night to relieve the British 1st Airborne surrounded at Arnhem

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Good morning, SAM. Helluva good thread this morning.

PING to the FReeper Foxhole!

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BTTT!!!!!

Not to diminish the heroism of the participants, but they should have sent Patton.

Thanks.

See what a high price we paid in Operation Market-Garden?

Much of Europe would rather forget.

If there's anyone out there who hasn't read Cornelius Ryan's "A Bridge Too Far", you've missed out! Get it and read it!

Morning, CholeraJoe. Thanks.

Market-Garden was one of those operations I can't read enough about, sort of the like the Bulge.

Thanks for the ping. Beautifully done.

Thanks Cote, very appropriate poem today. The 82nd is again in harms way and we at the Foxhole wish them all God Speed and Good Luck.

Market-Garden was one of those operations I can't read enough about

Good Morning. Today's debacle is courtesy of Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery.

IMHO, Market-Garden, if run by Patton, would have had a lot better chance of succeeding. Montgomery was not the man to run this kind of operation.

You're correct, "A Bridge Too Far" is an excellent book. I managed to get an autographed copy when it first came out.

Hey! Stop talking bad about our allies. If you want a whipping (fill in your appropriate politically incorrect object) use the French.

Montgomery was not the man to run this kind of operation.

Montgomery was his best in front of a mirror.

LOL. Love your tagline!

Guess who planned Gallipoli in WWI, The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in the Crimean War and sent the Canadians into Dieppe?

Thank you. We're glad you like today's Foxhole.

IMHO, Market-Garden, if run by Patton, would have had a lot better chance of succeeding. Montgomery was not the man to run this kind of operation.

I'm not sure he would have participated. In any case, I believe he was already on a roll and MG took away assets.

LOL! Never cared much for Montgomery as a General, but he's what the Brits needed at the time and as a British morale booster he suceeded very well. IMHO There were a lot better British Generals available, Monty just had better PR.

use the French.

Jacques Chirac in a recent photo.

OH Yeah, Patton was PO'd. He pretty much had to halt while most of the assets went into Market-Garden. I was thinking more of Patton taking part as the relieving ground force, he would have pushed a lot more aggressively.

LOL!!! Looks too cute to be Chirac

Well, I got my guys and we started down around the dike and towards the bridges. Needless to say the sun was coming down. We came to the first bridge and were crossing under was the railroad bridge. Platoon Sergeant Grouse was with me. When I looked up, I could see these guys and I yelled "Hay what outfit are you with?", figuring which company or what outfit was that. Oh man their was a couple of machine guns opened fire on us and we hit the sand and rolled over under the bridge. Grouse looked over at me and said "Lieutenant, I think they might have been from one of the panzer divisions, why did you want to know that?" He got me good on that one. The Krauts where still up on that bridge. That is a classic conversation between two very brave men... I had the honor of parachuting into Nijmegan (Groesbeck) (sic ?) in 1984 during the 40th anniversary of Operation Market Garden. We were supposed to make seven jumps all told, into each airborne landing zone- of this '44' operation. As the September weather can be in Holland, we only got off one jump. Met 3 Dutch commandos from the original operation- they jumped on the 40th anniversary too. Met General Gavin, probably the highpoint of my military experience/career. Gotta run. Will be back.

On this Day In History

Birthdates which occurred on February 10:
1609 Sir John Suckling English Cavalier poet/dramatist/courtier
1637 Henriëtte Catharina van Nassau Dutch daughter of Frederik Henry
1670 Norbert van Flowers [Cephalus], Flemish painter
1670 William Congreve England, restoration writer (Old Bachelor, Way of the World)
1685 Aaron Hill English playwright/poet (Tragedy of Zara)
1686 Johann F Gronovius Dutch physician/botany
1696 Johann Melchior Molter composer
1702 Jean-Pierre Guignon composer
1717 Pierre de La Garde composer
1728 Peter III Feodorovich German/Russian czar of Russia (1761-62)
1735 Johann Christoph Kuhnau composer
1741 Franz Adam Veichtner composer
1750 Stanislao Mattei composer
1775 Charles Lamb London England, critic/poet/essayist
1788 Johann Peter Pixis composer
1795 Ary Scheffer Dutch painter/etcher/sculptor
1807 Abner Clark Harding Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1874
1818 Isham Green Harris Governor (Confederacy), died in 1897
1819 Richard Storrs Willis composer
1821 William Read Scurry (Confederate Army Brigadier General, died in 1864)
1824 Samuel Plimsoll Bristol England, inventor (Plimsoll line for ships)
1827 Peter J Savelberg Dutch Limburgs monastery founder
1841 Walter Parratt composer
1846 Mildred Childe "Life" Lee daughter of confederate General Robert E Lee
1847 A N Hornby cricketer (pioneering England Test batsman)
1862 W H "Gobo" Ashley cricketer (7 wickets in 1 Test for South Africa 1889)
1866 Bror Beckman composer
1866 Rafael Altamira Crevea Spanish lawyer/historian
1868 William Allen White Emporia KS, editor (Pulitzer 1942)
1869 Vasily Pavovlich Kalafati composer
1870 Fritz Klimsch German sculptor/painter
1872 Anne Anema Dutch lawyer/journalist/politician (ARP)
1879 Franz Carl Bornschein composer
1880 Jesse G Vincent Arkansas, engineer designed 1st V-12 engine
1884 Herbert Hordern cricketer (pioneering leggie for Australia & Philadelphia)
1887 [Fran J] Vital Celen Flemish literary/author
1888 G Ungaretti writer
1889 Howard Spring British author/novelist/writer/critic (O Absalom)
1890 Boris L Pasternak Russia, novelist/poet (Dr Zhivago, Nobel 1958)
1890 Cor Ruys Dutch actor (Princess Stage)
1891 Harold 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, Governor-General of Canada (1945-52)
1892 Alan Hale [Rufus Alan Mackahan], Washington DC, actor (Little John-Adventures of Robin Hood)
1893 Jimmy Durante New York NY, long-nosed comedian (and good-night Mrs Calabash)
1893 William [Bill] T Tilden II tennis player (US Open 1920-25, 29)
1894 [Maurice] Harold MacMillan London, (C) British PM (1957-63)
1894 Roy D'Arcy San Francisco CA, actor (Warning Shadows, Revolt of Zombies)
1896 Olin Howlin Denver CO, actor (Swifty-Circus Boy)
1897 John Franklin Enders Connecticut, micro-biologist (polio-Nobel 1954)
1898 Dame Judith Anderson Adelaide Australia, actress (Laura, Rebecca, Tycoon)
1898 Bertolt Brecht Germany, playwright (Mother Courage)/composer
1898 Joseph Kessel French journalist/writer (Army of the Shadows)
1898 Robert Keith Fowler IN, actor (Battle Circus, Branded, Wild One)
19-- Elaine [Kaufman] New York NY, restauranteur (Elaine)
1900 Rebecca Negrin
1902 Armand Bernier Belgian poet (Sorcier Triste)
1902 Stella Adler New York, actress (My Girl Tisa)
1902 Walter H Brattain Amoy China, US physicist (Nobel 1956-transistor)
1903 Matvey Isaakovich Blanter composer
1904 John Farrow Sydney Australia, director/actor (Botany Bay, Wake Island)
1905 John Dierkes Ohio, actor (Daughter of Dr Jekyll, Hanging Tree)
1905 Max Schubert winemaker
1905 Vilko Ukmar composer
1905 Walter Brown sports organizer (NBA)
1906 John "Cat" Thompson basketball hall of famer (elected 1962)
1906 Lon Chaney Jr Oklahoma City OK, actor (Dracula vs. Frankenstein, The Phantom, Hawkeye, Pistols 'n' Petticoats)
1906 Erik Rhodes [Ernest Sharpe], actor (Top Hat, Night at the Ritz)
1906 Henry Phelps Brown historian/economist
1906 Walraven (Wally) van Hall Dutch banker/resisted Nazis
1907 Grace Hamilton 1st black member of Georgia state legislature
1908 Jean Coulthard composer
1909 Lord Milne
1910 Dominique Pire Belgium, educator, aided WWII refugees (Nobel 1958)
1910 Douglas Spencer actor (Thing, This Island Earth, River of No Return)
1910 Joyce Grenfell actress (Pickwick Papers, Americanization of Emily)
1910 Paul Whitelaw cricketer (New Zealand opening batsman vs England 1933)
1912 Lord Orr-Ewing
1913 Philippa Bevans actress (Notorious Landlady, World of Henry Orient)
1913 Ragnhild Marie Hatton historian
1914 Larry Adler Baltimore MD, harmonica player (Harmonicats) (blacklisted performer)
1916 Edward R Roybal (Representative-D-CA, 1963- )
1918 Gordon Pirie England, Group Captain
1918 Idwal Pugh British ombudsman
1920 Alexander Comfort English poet/writer (Wreath for the Living)
1920 J Heslop-Harrison botanist
1921 Adrian Cruft composer
1922 Harold Hughes (Governor-D-NJ)
1922 Neva Patterson Nevada, actress (Governor & JJ, Doc Elliot, Nichols)
1923 Cesare Siepi Milan Italy, basso (New York Metropolitan Opera)
1924 Randy Van Horne El Paso TX, singer (Nat King Cole Show)
1924 Bud (Norman) Poile NHLer
1926 Danny Blanchflower British soccer player
1927 Jakov Lind German/British author (Counting My Footsteps)
1927 Leontyne Mary Violet Price Laurel MS, opera soprano (Porgy & Bess)
1927 Nigel Bagnall British field marshal
1927 Viscount Cowdray British financier/multi-millionaire
1928 Gene Taylor (Representative-D-St Louis, 1973- )
1929 Hallgeir Brenden Norway, 15K/18K cross country (Olympics-gold-1952, 56)
1929 Henk Heidweiler Surinam ambassador (in Netherlands)
1929 Jerry Goldsmith pianist/composer (Twilight Zone)
1929 Jim Whittacker mountain climber (1st American to climb Mt Everest)
1930 John Gilpin English ballet dancer (Études, Alice in Wonderland)
1930 Robert Wagner Detroit MI, actor (It Takes a Thief, Hart to Hart)
1930 Peter Phillips composer
1931 Gerhard Rosenfeld composer
1931 Makoto Shinohara composer
1931 Thomas Bernhard writer
1932 Donald Hilton Moderator (General Assembly of United Reformed Church)
1932 Rockin Dopsie Sr [Alton Jay Rubin], Jazz-Fusion singer (Zydeco)
1935 Conrad Klapheck German painter (typewriters)
1935 Salvator Pueyo composer
1935 Theodore Antoniou composer
1936 Olwyn Bowey painter
1936 Sylvia Williams museum director/curator
1937 Don Wilson rock guitarist (Ventures-Walk Don't Run, Batman Theme)
1937 Yuriy Poyarkov USSR, volleyball player (Olympics-2 gold/1 silver-1964-72)
1937 Lord Justice Rose
1939 Barbara Kolb Hartford CT, composer (Trobar Jus)
1939 Roberta Flack North Carolina, vocalist (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face)
1940 Jimmy Merchant rock vocalist (Frankie Lymon & Teenagers-Why Do Fools)
1940 Hamish Imlach folk singer/comic
1940 Mary Rand-Bignal-Toomey England, long jumper (Olympics-gold-1964)
1940 Peter Middleton CEO (Lloyd's)
1941 John Hampshire cricketer (of Yorkshire Century on debut for England 1969)
1941 Michael Apted director/researcher (Granada TV)
1942 Michael Bishop CEO (British Midland Airways)
1943 Ral Donner [Ralph Stuart], Black Mountain NC, singer (Starfires)
1944 Peter Allen Australia, singer/pianist (I Go to Rio, Legs Diamond)
1945 John Hayes Secretary-General (British Law Society)
1945 Klas Tuinstra Dutch MP (CDA)
1946 Donovan [P Leech] Scotland, rocker (Mellow Yellow)
1946 Keith Mans MP
1948 Conrad Cummings composer
1949 Joe Lavender NFLer
1950 Gail Rebuck CEO (Random House)
1950 Mark Spitz Modesto CA, swimmer (Olympics-9 gold/silver/bronze-68, 72)
1950 Mike Rutherford rocker (Genesis-Against All Odds, Mike & Mechanics)
1951 Roxanne Pulitzer Glendale CA, author (The Prize Pulitzer)
1951 Zeudi Araya Asmara Ethiopia, Miss Ethiopia (1969)
1952 Mike Varty NFLer
1953 Carl Joseph Stone composer
1953 John Shirley US, sci-fi author (Eclipse Penumbra, Eclipse Corona)
1955 Greg[ory John] Norman Queensland Australia, PGA golfer "The White Shark" (1984 Kemper)
1955 Lusia Mae Harris Minter City MS, basketball player (Olympics-silver-76)
1957 Debbie Brinkley Tasmania, golfer (1990 T25 Victorian Open)
1957 Pranab Roy cricketer (son of Pankaj, Indian batsman 1982)
1958 Sharon Stone Meadville PA, actress (Basic Instinct, Total Recall)
1959 Tonga [Uliuli Fifita], wrestler (WCW/WAR/WWF, Ming, Haku, Islanders)
1960 Lionel Cartwright Ohio, country vocalist (I Watched it on the Radio)
1961 David Ward cricketer (prolific Surrey batsman)
1961 Eva Pfaff West Germany, tennis star
1961 George Stephanopoulos presidential adviser (Clinton)
1962 Cliff Burton rocker (Metallica)
1962 Jean-Marie Banos Lavelanet France, Canada sabre (Olympics-9/10-88, 92, 96)
1963 Lenny Dykstra centerfielder (New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies)
1963 Bennie Thompson NFLer (Saints, Chiefs, Cleveland Browns/Ravens)
1963 Harris Huizingh soccer player (FC Groningen)
1963 Joakim Nystrom Sweden, tennis star
1964 Francesca Neri Trento Italy, actress (Ages of Lulu)
1964 Mir Aimal Kansi Quetta Pakistan, murderer (FBI Most Wanted)
1964 Roger Reijners soccer player (MVV)
1964 Sam Graddy Gaffney SC, 4x100 meter runner (Olympics-gold-1984)
1965 Lenny Webster New Orleans LA, catcher (Montréal Expos)
1965 Marjolein Macrander Dutch actress (Drowned)
1966 Daryl Johnston NFL running back (Dallas Cowboys)
1967 Laura Dern Los Angeles CA, actress (Blue Velvet, Mask, Small Talk)
1967 Bradley Hughes Mordialloc Victoria Australia, Australasia golfer
1967 Dwayne "Road Grader" White NFLer (New York Jets, St Louis)
1968 Peter Popovic Koping Sweden, NHL defenseman (Montréal Canadiens)
1968 Ryan Bowen US baseball pitcher (Florida Marlins)
1969 Jayhawk Owens Cincinnati OH, catcher (Colorado Rockies)
1969 Tim Clark US baseball outfielder (Florida Marlins)
1970 Alberto Castillo Dominican/US baseball catcher (New York Mets)
1970 Bobby Jones Fresno CA, pitcher (New York Mets)
1970 Brendan Eppert St Louis MO, speed skater (Olympics-1994)
1971 Kevin Sefcik Oaklawn IL, infielder (Philadelphia Phillies)
1971 Marty Nothstein Allentown PA, sprint cyclist Olympics-silver-96)
1971 Wayne Gandy tackle (St Louis Rams)
1972 Michael Kasprowicz cricketer (Australian Test fast bowler vs West Indies 1996)
1972 Nancy Christian Scottsdale AZ, WPVA volleyballer (US Open-17th-1995)
1972 Sara Simmons Belmont MA, rower (Olympics-96)
1972 Torey Hunter NFL cornerback (Houston Oilers)
1974 Andrew English CFL receiver (British Columbia Lions)
1974 Lea Ghirardi-Rubbi Colombes France, tennis star (1994 Futures NC)
1974 Ty Law NFL cornerback (New England Patriots)
1975 Tina Thompson WNBA forward (Houston Comets)
1977 Stephanie Ann Foisy Concord NH, Miss New Hampshire-America (1995)

Deaths which occurred on February 10:
1134 Robert III/II Curthouse Duke of Normandy, dies
1162 Boudouin III son of King Fulco of Anjou/husband of Theodora, dies
1164 Hugo van Fosses/Prémontré abbott of Prémontré, dies
1482 Luca della Robbia Italian sculptor (majolica reliefs), dies at 81
1495 Sir William Stanley English lord chamberlain, executed for conspiracy
1567 Darnley Mary Queen of Scots' husband, murdered
1567 Lord Darnley Stuart husband of English queen Mary, murdered
1588 Joost Sybrantsz Buyck Amsterdam merchant/regent, dies at about 82
1598 Anna van Bull 1st wife of Polish/Swedish king Sigismund II, dies
1657 Sebastian Stosskopf Elizabethian painter, dies at 59
1678 Philip Vingboons Amsterdam's master builder, buried
1686 William Dugdale Garter King of Arms (1677-86), dies
1711 Lukas Fencer Dutch poet (Meleager & Atalante), dies at 22
1772 Jozef Wenceslas monarch of Liechtenstein/general, dies at 75
1772 Louis Tocqué French painter, dies at 75
1774 Florian Leopold Gassmann composer, dies at 44
1783 James Nares composer, dies at 67
1816 Johann Paul Aegidius Martini composer, dies at 74
1822 Albert-Kasimir duke of Saxon-Teschen/Governor of Hungary, dies at 83
1825 Paul van Hemert Dutch theologist/philosopher (Kant), dies at 68
1829 Leo XII [Annibale Sermattei], Italian Pope (1823-29), dies at 68
1832 Antonio Benedetto Maria Puccini composer, dies at 84
1837 Alexander S Pushkin writer, dies at 37
1861 Francis Danby Exmouth, painter, dies
1876 Johan August Soderman composer, dies at 43
1879 Honoré V Daumier French painter/lithographer, dies at 70
1879 Wolter R baron van Hoëvell Dutch vicar/abolitionist, dies at 66
1880 Isaäc M "Isaac A" Crémieux French minister of Justice, dies at 83
1887 Ellen Wood English author (Pomeroy Abbey), dies at 73
1887 Pieter van der Aa Dutch geographer, dies at 54
1902 J N Krieger German Selenographer, dies
1905 Ignacy Krzyzanowski composer, dies at 78
1912 Joseph Lister 1st Baron Lister, surgeon (pioneer of antiseptic), dies
1915 Albert J-BJ Thijs Belgian Colonial pioneer (Congo), dies at 65
1917 Emile Pessard composer, dies at 73
1918 Abdül-Hamid II 34th sultan of Turkey (lost Serbia/Egypt), dies at 65
1923 Wilhelm Konrad von Rontgen physicist (Nobel 1901), dies at 77
1932 R H Edgar Wallace British writer/journalist (3 Just Men), dies at 76
1939 Pius XI [Ambrogio D A Ratti], Italian Pope (1922-39), dies at 81
1943 Wa'er shot dead by Defiance
1945 Juan de Hernandez composer, dies at 63
1948 Ewart Astill cricket all-rounder (9 Tests for England 1927-30), dies
1948 Sergei Eisenstein Russian director (Battleship Potemkin), dies at 50
1950 Armen Tigran Tigranyan composer, dies at 70
1951 Joseph Bovet composer, dies at 71
1957 Laura Ingalls Wilder US author (Little House on Prarie), dies at 90
1958 Billy Vine actor (54th Street Revue), dies at 42
1962 Willem Paerels Netherlands/Belgian painter/graphic artist, dies at 83
1966 Billy Rose US theater producer (Diamond Horse Show), dies at 66
1968 Pitirim A Sorokin Russian/US sociologist, dies at 79
1977 Grace Mary Williams composer, dies at 70
1982 K R Meher-Homji cricketer (Test as Indian, catch no stumped), dies
1983 Eduard Franz actor (Zorro), dies at 80
1986 Brian Aherne actor (Juarez, My Sister Eileen, Rosie), dies at 83
1989 Dan Kelly NHL sportscaster, dies at 52, "He shoots, he scores!"
1992 Alex Haley US writer (Autobiography of Malcolm X, Roots), dies at 70
1992 Florence Tarlow dies of cancer at 70
1992 Mau Kopuit Dutch editor-in-chief (New Israeli Weekly Newspaper), dies
1992 Meade Roberts screenwriter, dies of congestive heart failure at 61
1992 Thomas Graftdijk Dutch writer (Dr Faustus), dies
1992 Wim Ramaker Dutch director/writer (On Death Track), dies
1993 John Grossman Czechoslovakian director (Process, Revisor), dies
1993 Joy Garrett actress (Days of Our Live), dies of liver failure at 47
1993 Maurice Bourges-Maunoury PM of France (1957), dies
1995 Kenton Kilmer poet/translator, dies at 85
1995 Louis Sen A Kaw Suriname's great dam builder, dies at 75
1995 Paul Monette writer, dies at 49
1995 S van der Linde church historian, dies at 89
1996 Hugh Francis Lamprey ecologist, dies at 67
1997 Brian McManus Connolly musician, dies at 47
1997 Milton Cato PM of San Vincent & Grenadines (1979-84), dies
1998 Buddy the Wonder Dog dog (Air Bud), dies of cancer at 9
1998 Maurice Schumann French foreign minister (1969-73), dies

On this day...
0060 St Paul thought to have been shipwrecked at Malta
1098 Crusaders defeat Prince Redwan of Aleppo at Antioch
1535 12 nude Anabaptists run through Amsterdam streets
1549 Tomé de Sousa appointed Governor-General of Brazil
1635 Académie Française is founded in Paris (by Cardinal Richelieu)
1676 Wampanoag Indians under King Philip kill all men in Lancaster MA
1713 Netherlands & England sign accord concerning anti-French Barrier
1716 Scottish pretender to the throne James III Edward returns to France
1720 Edmund Halley appointed 2nd Astronomer Royal of England
1746 English Pelham government resigns
1749 10th (final) volume of Fielding's "Tom Jones" is published
1763 Treaty of Paris ends French-Indian War, surrenders Canada to England
1774 Andrew Becker demonstrates diving suit
1794 Joseph Haydn's 99th Symphony in E, premieres
1807 US Coast Survey authorized by Congress
1824 Simon Bolívar named dictator by the Congress of Perú
1840 British queen Victoria marries her cousin Albert von Saksen-Coburg
1846 British defeat Sikhs in battle of Sobraon, India
1846 Beginning of Mormon march to west US
1855 US citizenship laws amended all children of US parents born abroad granted US citizenship
1859 General Horsford defeats Begum of Oude & Nana Sahib in Indian mutiny
1860 John Brahms' 2nd Serenade in A, premieres
1862 Dutch 2nd government of Thorbecke forms
1863 1st US fire extinguisher patent granted to Alanson Crane, Virginia
1863 PT Barnum stages wedding of Tom Thumb & Mercy Lavinia Warren (New York NY)
1866 Dutch government Frans van der Putte forms
1868 Conservatives & military, seize Convention Hall in Florida
1870 City of Anaheim incorporates (1st time)
1870 YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) is founded (New York NY)
1878 Peace of Zanjón
1878 Peter Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony in F, premieres
1879 1st electric arc light used (California Theater)
1879 Henry Morton Stanley departs to the Congo
1880 Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Arcanum about Christian marriage
1881 Jacques Offenbach's opera "Les Contes d'Hoffman" premieres in Paris
1882 Rimski-Korsakovs opera "Snyegurochka" premieres in St Petersburg
1883 Fire at un-insured New Hall Hotel in Milwaukee WI, kills 71
1890 Around 11 million acres, ceded to US by Sioux Indians opens for settlement
1897 New York Times begins using slogan "All the News That's Fit to Print"
1899 -39ºF (-39ºC), Milligan OH (state lowest temperature record)
1899 US-Spain peace treaty signed by President McKinley; US gets Puerto Rico & Guam
1900 Peter Ostlund skates world record 500 meter (45.2 seconds)
1904 Japan & Russia declares war after Japan's surprise attack on Russian fleet at Port Arthur disabled 7 Russian warships
1906 Britain's 1st modern & largest battleship "HMS Dreadnought" launched
1906 State of siege proclaimed in Zululand
1908 Tommy Burns KOs Jack Palmer in 4 for heavyweight boxing title
1912 Hobbs & Rhodes make 323 cricket opening stand vs Australia at MCG
1913 Edward Sheldons "Romance" premieres in New York NY
1916 Conscription begins in Britain
1917 Johanna Westerdijk installed as Netherlands 1st female professor
1920 Baseball outlaws all pitches involving tampering with the ball
1923 Ink paste manufactured for 1st time by Standard Ink Company
1923 Owen Davis' "Icebound" premieres in New York NY
1923 SDAP speaks out against allied occupation of Ruhrgebied
1924 Bucky Harris, 27, becomes youngest baseball manager (Washington Senators)
1925 1st waterless gas storage tank put into service, Michigan City IN
1925 AL decides to alternate leagues for game 1 of World Series each year
1926 Building of Olympian Stadium Amsterdam, begins
1927 President Coolidge asks for 2nd disarmament conference
1930 Grain Stabilization Corporation authorized by Congress
1931 New Delhi becomes capital of India
1931 Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Harts premieres in New York NY
1933 -54ºF (-48ºC), Seneca OR (state record)
1933 Delivery of 1st singing telegram (Postal Telegram Company NYC)
1933 Dutch sea-plane bombs Dutch ship
1933 Hitler proclaims end of Marxism
1933 Mutiny on "7 Provinces" ends (began Feb 4th), 23 killed
1934 Byrd souvenir sheet issued, NYC; 1st unperforated ungummed US stamp
1934 1st Jewish immigrant ship to break the English blockade in Palestine
1934 Howard Hanson's "Merry Mount" premieres in New York NY
1934 Stalin ends 17th CPSU-congress, says "Life becomes merrier"
1934 Thomson/Gertrude Stein's opera "Four Saints in Three Acts" premieres in New York NY
1935 Pennsylvania RR begins passenger service on new streamlined electric locomotive
1937 Ragnhild Hveger swims world free style record 400 meter (5:14.2)
1938 King Carol II of Romania drives out dictator Goga
1940 "In The Mood" by Glenn Miller hits #1
1940 Tom & Jerry created by Hanna & Barbera debut by MGM
1940 US female Figure Skating championship won by Joan Tozzer
1940 US male Figure Skating championship won by Eugene Turner
1941 1st highway post office makes 1st trip, Washington DC-Harrisonburg, VA
1941 Anti-Nazi "Het Parool" begins publishing in Netherlands
1943 "Manifesto of Algerian People" calls for equality & self-determination
1943 8th Army sweeps through North Africa to Tunisia
1943 Van der Veen Resistance starts fire in Amsterdam employment bureau
1944 Belgium resistance fighter/author Kamiel van Baelen arrested
1944 U-666/U-545/U-283 sink off Ireland
1945 "Rum & Coca Cola" by Andrews Sisters hits #1
1946 1st black pro-baseball player Jackie Robinson marries Rachel Isum
1947 Italy cedes most of Venezia Giulia to Yugoslavia
1947 Province of Petsamo returned to Soviet Union by Finland
1947 Netherlands Radio Union forms
1947 WWII peace treaties signed
1948 Greek General Markos' guerrilla army bombs Saloniki
1949 Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" opens at Morosco Theater, NYC
1951 "John & Marsha" by Stan Freberg peaks at #21
1951 Shah of Persia marries 19 year old Soraja Esfandiara Bakhtiari
1953 Ice Dance Championship at Davos won by Jean Westwood & Lawrence Demmy of Great Britain
1953 Ice Pairs Championship at Davos won by Jennifer & John Nicks of Great Britain
1953 Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Davos won by Tenley Albright USA
1953 Men's Figure Skating Champion in Davos won by Hayes Alan Jenkins USA
1954 Eisenhower warns against US intervention in Vietnam
1954 Ice Dance Championship at Oslo won by Jean Westwood/Lawrence Demmy Great Britain
1954 Ice Pairs Championship at Oslo won by Frances Dafoe/Norris Bowden CAN
1954 Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Oslo won by Gundi Busch Germany
1954 Men's Figure Skating Championship in Oslo won by Hayes Alan Jenkins US
1956 "My Friend Flicka" premieres on CBS (later NBC) TV
1956 Elvis Presley records "Heartbreak Hotel" for RCA
1957 Fay Crocker wins LPGA Serbin Golf Open
1957 Southern Christian Leadership Conference forms
1959 Dutch Princess Wilhelmina publishes "Lonely, but not alone"
1959 Tornado in St Louis kills 19 & injures 265
1960 "Unsinkable Molly Brown" closes at Winter Garden NYC after 532 performances
1960 Charles Ives' "Lincoln, the Great Commoner" premieres
1961 AFL's Los Angeles Chargers move to San Diego
1961 Niagara Falls hydroelectric project begins producing power
1961 Walter Piston's 7th Symphony, premieres
1962 Jim Beatty sets American indoor mile record (3 minutes 58.9 seconds) in Los Angeles CA
1962 USSR swaps spy Francis Gary Power to US for Rudolph Abel
1963 Mickey Wright wins LPGA St Petersburg Women's Golf Open
1963 US female Figure Skating championship won by Lorraine Hanlon
1963 US male Figure Skating championship won by Thomas Litz
1964 Australian destroyer "Voyager" sinks in collision, killing 82
1964 Destroyer Voyager sinks off Australia after colliding with aircraft carrier Melbourne
1964 WBGU TV channel 27 in Bowling Green OH (PBS) begins broadcasting
1966 Harmel government in Belgium resigns
1967 25th Amendment (Presidential Disability & Succession) in effect
1968 "Spooky" by Classics IV hits #3
1968 Peggy Fleming wins Olympics figure skating gold medal, Grenoble, France
1969 LSU Pete Maravich scores 66, despite losing to Tulane 101-94
1970 Dry powder avalanche moving at 120 mph smashes into youth hostel killing 40 Belgian, French, & German youths (Val d'Isere, France)
1970 26.4 cm precipitation falls on Mount Washington NH (state record)
1971 American Mensa, Ltd incorporates in New York
1971 John Guares "House of Blue Leaves" premieres in New York NY
1971 Royal Albert Hall bans scheduled concert featuring Frank Zappa
1972 BBC bans "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" by Wings
1972 Ras al Khaima joins the United Arab Emirates
1972 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk USSR
1973 2nd time Rangers shut-out Islanders 6-0
1973 83 meter wide gas tank on Staten Island NY explodes, crushing 40
1973 Mushtaq Mohammad follows up 201 to take 5-49 vs New Zealand Dunedin
1974 Silver futures hit record $4.81½ an ounce in London
1974 "Gigi" closes at Uris Theater NYC after 103 performances
1974 Gail Denenber wins LPGA Sears Women's Golf Classic
1974 Iran/Iraqi border fight breaks out
1974 Judy Ikenberry wins 1st Us women's marathon (2:55:17)
1975 William "Judy" Johnson selected to baseball Hall of Fame
1977 Yehonathan Netanyou Lane in the Bronx named in honor of Bronx-born
1977 "Party with Comden & Green" opens at Morosco Theater NYC for 92 performances
1977 Bomb explosion in Moskouse metro
1977 Israeli soldier who died freeing hostages in Entebbe Raid (1976)
1978 Frank C Carlucci succeeds John F Blake as deputy director of CIA
1979 "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart peaks at #1
1979 Border is named 12th man for Australia, only Test Cricket he missed
1980 Ianford Wilsons "Talley's Folly" premieres in New York NY
1980 Jane Blalock wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic
1981 8 killed & 198 injured by fire at Las Vegas Hilton
1981 33rd NHL All-Star Game Campbell beat Wales 4-1 at Los Angeles CA
1981 Dennis Lillee becomes Australian Cricket's top wicket-taker with 249
1982 28 skiers perform backflips while holding hands, Bromont Québec
1983 Anglican synod vote 338-100 against unilateral UK nuclear disarmament
1985 -61ºF (-52ºC), Maybell CO (state record)
1985 Challenger moves to Vandenberg AFB for mating of STS 51-E mission
1985 35th NBA All-Star Game West beats East 140-129 at Indiana
1985 Andrea Schöne skates ladies world record 5 km (7:32.82)
1985 Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Sarasota Golf Classic
1985 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk USSR
1986 John Lennon's "Live in NYC" album is released
1987 Philippine troops murder 17 civilians-Lupao Massacre
1988 3-judge panel of 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco strikes down Army's ban on homosexuals (later overturned by appeal)
1988 Rocky Malebane-Metsing coup in Bophuthatswana fails
1989 Miami Vice's 100th episode seen on TV
1989 Minor League Football System opens organizational meeting, St Louis MO
1989 To gain deregulation WWF admits pro wrestling is an exhibition & not a sport, in a New Jersey court
1989 Celtic Kansas City Jones & Cavalier Lenny Wilkens elected to NBA Hall of Fame
1989 Ron Brown chosen 1st black chairman of a major US party (Democrats)
1989 Test Cricket debut of Aaqib Javed, Pakistan vs New Zealand age 16 years 189 days
1989 Tony Robinson of Jamaica becomes Nottingham's 1st black sheriff
1989 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1990 Buster Douglas KOs Mike Tyson in 10 to become heavyweight boxing champion
1990 Perrier Water pulls product from shelf due to benzene in water
1990 South Africa President de Klerk announces Nelson Mandela will be free Feb 11th
1990 6th Largest wrestling crowd (63,900-Tokyo Dome)
1990 US female Figure Skating championship won by Jill Trenary
1991 NBA All Star Game at Charlotte NC
1991 "La Bete" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC for 24 performances
1991 41st NBA All-Star Game East beats West 116-114 at Charlotte
1991 Beth Daniel wins LPGA Phar-Mor at Inverrary Golf Tournament
1991 Johann Koss skates world record 10 km (13:43.54)
1991 Lithuania votes for independence from USSR
1992 "Dangerous Women" final episode on WWOR-TV
1992 Bonnie Blair wins 1992 Olympics 1st gold medal for the USA
1992 Mike Tyson convicted of raping Desiree Washington in Indiana
1993 "Michael Jackson Talks To Oprah Winfrey" airs on ABC & drew an astounding 39.3 rating/56 share, 90 million people
1993 Jani Sievinen swims world record 200 meter backstroke (1:55.59)
1993 US officially backs peace plan in Bosnia
1995 Chelsi Smith, 21, (Texas), crowned 44th Miss USA
1995 Sun Cayun pole vaults female indoor world record (4.12 meters)
1995 US female Figure Skating championship won by Nicole Bobek
1996 IBM's Deep Blue defeats chess champion Gary Kasparov
1997 13th Soap Opera Digest Awards
1997 5th annual ESPY Awards presented
1997 Comet Shoemaker-Holt 2 Closest Approach to Earth (1.9245 AU)
1997 Lemrick Nelson found guilty in the fatal stabbing on Hasidic Jew Yankel Rosenbaum in Crown Heights Brooklyn in 1991
1997 O J Simpson jury reaches decision on $25 million in punitive damages
1997 Soyuz TM-25 launches to the MIR
1998 AOL raises monthly flat rate Internet access from $19.95 to $21.95
1998 Olympics figure skater Peggy Fleming undergoes breast cancer surgery

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

World : Boy Scouts Day (1910) - - - - - ( Sunday )
China : Chinese New Year-The Year of the Snake (2013/4711)

Religious Observances
Malta : St Paul's Shipwreck
Methodist : Race Relations Sunday (2nd Sunday in February)
Roman Catholic : Memorial of St Scholastica, virgin
Christian : Shrove Monday

Religious History
1495 King's College was founded under Roman Catholic sponsorship in Aberdeen, Scotland. In 1860 it merged with the Protestant Marischal College (established in 1593) to become the University of Aberdeen.
1546 German reformer Martin Luther wrote in a letter to his wife Kate: 'Pray, and let God worry.'
1899 The Church of England first authorized use of the 1885 English Revised (RV or ERV) Version of the Bible in Anglican liturgy and worship.
1947 U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall prayed: 'Save Thy servants from the tyranny of the nonessential. Give them the courage to say "No" to everything that makes it more difficult to say "Yes" to Thee.'
1929 In London, renowned Baptist clergyman and devotional author F. B. Meyer, 81, preached his last sermon. He soon entered a nursing home where his health failed rapidly, and he died March 28.

Thought for the day :
" Now and then an innocent man is sent to the legislature. "

he would have pushed a lot more aggressively.

Absolutely! No tea time for his troops. He would he reached Arnhem and asked the descending British Paratroopers, "What took you so long?"

While I was in Germany at a place called Kalkar close to Holland, I got to see the famous bridge on visits to Arnhem. This was in 1979. That part of Germany still had SS unit reunions. We were told to keep away from certain areas. Sobering.

bump for a later read

I had the honor of parachuting into Nijmegan (Groesbeck) (sic ?) in 1984 during the 40th anniversary of Operation Market Garden.

That had to be awesome. How built up were the old drop zones or did you have to drop even further from the city than the original troops?

" Now and then an innocent man is sent to the legislature. " LOL! I'm beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as an innocent politician.

What happened to the British 1st Airborne at Arnhem and OsterBeek (sp)is heartbreaking. What a waste of good men.

Regarding # 29: re-post, better formatting

Well, I got my guys and we started down around the dike and towards the bridges. Needless to say the sun was coming down. We came to the first bridge and were crossing under was the railroad bridge. Platoon Sergeant Grouse was with me. When I looked up, I could see these guys and I yelled "Hay what outfit are you with?", figuring which company or what outfit was that. Oh man their was a couple of machine guns opened fire on us and we hit the sand and rolled over under the bridge. Grouse looked over at me and said "Lieutenant, I think they might have been from one of the panzer divisions, why did you want to know that?" He got me good on that one. The Krauts where still up on that bridge.

That is a classic conversation between two very brave men...

I had the honor of parachuting into Nijmegan (Groesbeck) (sic ?) in 1984 during the 40th anniversary of Operation Market Garden. We were supposed to make seven jumps all told, into each airborne landing zone- of this '44' operation. As the September weather can be in Holland, we only got off one jump. Met 3 Dutch commandos from the original operation- they jumped on the 40th anniversary too. Met General Gavin, probably the highpoint of my military experience/career.

Gotta run. Will be back.

************************************************************

OK- Back for a couple minutes.

How built up were the old drop zones or did you have to drop even further from the city than the original troops?

We dropped at Groesbeek (correct spelling) also known as Groesbeek Heights. In '44' the 82nd Airborne Division jumped into a beet field (if my memory serves me correctly). It is a few clicks to the east-southeast of Arnhem, and due east of Nijmegan.

Gotta run some errands, be back later.

Today's classic warship, USS Sargo (SSN-583)

Skate class nuclear submarine
Displacement: Surfaced: 2,580 t. Submerged: 2,861 t.
Length: 267’7”
Beam: 25’
Draft: 22’5”
Speed: 20+ k.
Complement: 95
Armament: 8 21” torpedo tubes

USS SARGO (SSN 583) was the first nuclear powered ship to be built by Mare Island Shipyard and the fifth to be commissioned in the United States Navy. She is also the only nuclear submarine to date whose entire life has been spent as a member of the Pacific Fleet. Her keel was laid on February 21, 1956. The ship was launched on October 10, 1957. Mrs. Frank T. Watkins, whose husband was then the Vice Admiral in charge of the Navy's ASW defense force, christened SARGO with a silver encased bottle of California champagne, starting SARGO moving majestically down the building ways. SARGO was formally commissioned on October 1, 1958. Under the command of Commander Daniel P. Brooks she joined the Pacific Fleet as one of the nation's most capable warships.

During the first months after joining the Pacific Submarine Force, SARGO conducted an extensive shakedown cruise covering over 19,000 miles of the Pacific Ocean. During this cruise SARGO made one dive that lasted 44 days, 33 of which were completely divorced from the earth's atmosphere, at the time a record for a SKATE class submarine. She was also the first nuclear powered ship to ever cross the equator.

On July 26, 1959 SARGO'S homeport was changed from Mare Island, California to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. SARGO arrived at SUBASE Pearl Harbor on October 1, 1959 where she began local operations and preparation for the 1960 Winter Arctic Exploration.

Lieutenant Commander John H. Nicholson assumed command in October 1959 and SARGO commenced the demanding winter arctic operation in January 1960 transiting through the Bering and Chuckchi Seas to the North Pole. When she returned the ship had logged 11,136 miles, 6003 miles under the ice, and all but 300 miles submerged. The winter Arctic Ocean was a great unknown and SARGO collected extensive scientific data. After arriving at the North Pole, on February 9, 1960 she surfaced through 36 inches of ice. On her return trip she stopped at the Ice Island T-3 and successfully navigated the shallow, ice-covered Bering Strait a second time, and thus established the U. S. Navy's capability for year-round access to the Arctic Basin from the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

On March 3, 1960 SARGO was awarded her first NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION AWARD for "successfully completing the most extensive under ice exploration of the Arctic Ocean yet attempted by a submarine including the first ... during the winter season ... despite severe weather and ice conditions."

Later the same year on April 25th, SARGO was called upon to demonstrate her versatility by providing a demonstration cruise for the King of Nepal and royal party.

On June 14, 1960 a tragedy occurred. During an oxygen charging evolution a rupture in the charging hose caused a violent fire and torpedo explosions in the Stern Room. The oxygen-fueled blaze was so intense that the after portion of the ship had to be submerged, with hatches open, to extinguish it. A Board of Investigation found that the explosion was not the result of any action or omission by any SARGO personnel. James E. Smallwood MM3(SS), lost his life in the fire while taking action to save the ship. He was awarded, posthumously, the Navy and Marine Corp Medal for his heroic actions and other crew members were also awarded medals and letters of commendation for outstanding courage over and above the call of duty.

After an availability at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for stern room repairs, SARGO conducted operations in the Pearl Harbor area including the first SSN versus SSN exercises in the Pacific. From January to June 1961 SARGO deployed to the Western Pacific and operated as a unit of the U.S. Seventh Fleet.

Lieutenant Commander Paul J. Early took command of SARGO in May 1961. On October 4, 1961 SARGO was awarded her first Battle Efficiency "E" for the period July 1960 to June 1961. In November 1961 SARGO transited to San Diego and participated in a naval demonstration for the Chief of Naval Operations and foreign dignitaries. On June 30, 1962 SARGO received her second Battle Efficiency "E" and soon thereafter on November 17, 1962 also received her second NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION AWARD for the ship's and crew's performance during the period February to May 1962.

On July 28, 1962 SARGO entered U.S. Naval Shipyard Pearl Harbor in 1963 for overhaul and was the first nuclear powered submarine to be refueled at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. On January 15, 1963, while still in the Shipyard LCDR Robert M. Douglass took command of SARGO.

During April through October of 1964 SARGO found herself participating in extended operations as a unit of the U. S. Seventh Fleet, participating in operations in support of the Vietnam crisis arising from the Gulf of Tonkin incident. SARGO was awarded her third Navy Unit Commendation for her involvement in this and other operations from July 1963 through June 1965.

Lieutenant Commander George M. Vahsen took command of SARGO in June 1965. SARGO continued to be involved in advanced deployed operations in the Western Pacific as well as exercises in the Eastern Pacific before entering Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

SARGO underwent her second regular overhaul from April 1966 to April 1968 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, after nearly 4 years of Pacific Fleet operations. This overhaul included her second nuclear refueling in seven years of operations.

With Commander Kenneth L. Highfill as Commanding Officer, SARGO conducted sound survey operations at Dabob Bay, Washington, during October and November of 1968. Following this testing SARGO participated in extensive torpedo testing culminating in the sinking of the EX-USS Sterlet, a decommissioned diesel submarine.

In June of 1969 SARGO was awarded her third Battle Efficiency "E" and her first Fire Control "E".

Once again in September 1969 SARGO was ready for another extended deployment to Western Pacific, where she worked with units of the Australian and British navies in the South China Sea.

1970 was a busy year for SARGO. She conducted Prospective Commanding Officer operations and a full slate of inspections, earning nigh grades in each. The ship's torpedo firing proficiency was again recognized as SARGO was awarded her second consecutive Fire Control "E".

In July of 1971, SARGO received her third consecutive Fire Control "E". The ship deployed to the western Pacific once more in September 1971. In October 1971, she made the first visit by a nuclear powered submarine to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. In November of 1971 SARGO received her fourth Navy Unit Commendation Award for her performance during independent deployed operations from August 1968 to December 1969, marking her as one of the Navy's most decorated nuclear submarines.

Commander Michael A. McBride took the helm as Commanding Officer in January 1972. SARGO returned to Pearl Harbor in March 1972, completing another successful Western Pacific deployment.

After less than two months in homeport, SARGO returned to the Western Pacific for extended at sea operations. The ship returned to Pearl Harbor in August 1972 after port visits to Pusan, Korea and Guam.

During the first few months of 1973 SARGO conducted extensive at sea evaluation and testing of the new WLR-8 System, the Navy's newest submarine electronic countermeasures system. During the months of July and August of 1973 SARGO conducted torpedo exercises with the USS BLUEBACK and USS POGY. In September SARGO was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation award for operations conducted from December 1971 through January, 1972.

In September 1973 SARGO entered Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for her third refueling overhaul. During this overhaul SARGO received the capability to carry the MK 48 Torpedo.

SARGO completed this overhaul in early 1975 and conducted extensive post-overhaul testing and shakedown operations in local Hawaiian waters. Under the command at Lieutenant Commander Henry J. Barfield, Jr., SARGO completed Weapons Systems Accuracy testing and MK 48 torpedo certification. On 10 December 1975 SARGO deployed once more to the Western Pacific.

During this deployment SARGO visited the foreign parts at Hong Kong, Pusan, Subic Bay, and Guam. She also conducted operations in the South China Sea and participated in the major fleet exercise READEX 2-76. On May 31, 1976 SARGO returned to homeport with yet another successful deployment completed.

During the months at March through May of 1977, SARGO participated with warships at America's allies in the Pacific basin in RIMPAC 77, a multi-nation exercise. SARGO then deployed to the Western Pacific on June 2, 1977 to return in November of 1977.

In 1978 SARGO participated in RIMPAC 78, conducted MK 48 torpedo re-certification firings, completed an interim shipyard drydock availability, and a pre-overseas movement upkeep.

Commander John H. Cox took command at SARGO in January 1979 just before SARGO deployed to WESTPAC. She participated in the fleet exercise Multiplex 2-79 prior to arriving in Yokosuka, Japan. SARGO departed Yokosuka and worked with South Korean and other U.S. Navy forces in exercise Team Spirit. In April of 1979 SARGO participated in Exercise "Sea at Siam" with units at the Royal Thai Navy and Multiplex 3-79. SARGO returned from this deployment in August at 1979.

During March of 1980, SARGO participated in her third RIMPAC exercise, RIMPAC 80, and in the exercise, was credited with 118,000 tons at shipping sunk, a total greater than that scored by any other unit.

In June of 1980 SARGO entered Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for the ship's fourth refueling overhaul. During this overhaul the ship received a significant upgrade to her sonar suite including installation of the new Submarine Towed Array Sonar System (STASS).

Under the command of Commander Robert S. Holbrook, SARGO departed for an Eastern Pacific Deployment in October 1983, visiting the ports of Esquimalt British Columbia; Seattle; and Oakland.

In March 1984 SARGO departed for the Western Pacific for her second-to-last six-month deployment. During this period SARGO operated in many areas of the Western Pacific and conducted Special Warfare exercises in the Philippines. SARGO returned to homeport in September 1984, finishing the deployment with a highly successful Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination. Immediately after completing a post-deployment upkeep in November, SARGO turned west again to deploy. After successfully completing her operations at sea and a port visit in Yokosuka, SARGO arrived back in Pearl in late December.

After successfully completing a busy slate of examinations, SARGO then deployed for Eastern Pacific operations in May 1985. Following a port visit in San Diego and her return to Pearl Harbor, Commander R. Michael Camp relieved as SARGO's last Commanding Officer in July 1985.

Following a pre-overseas movement upkeep and a highly successful Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination, SARGO deployed to the Western Pacific in October for the nineteenth and final time. SARGO remained a first line "Fighting Lady" to the end. During this deployment she conducted her longest transit in the past eleven years and her longest period of independent continuous submerged operations in the past seven years. The ship returned to homeport in April 1986.

In August 1986 SARGO was presented the CINCPACFLT Golden Anchor award by RADM J.N. Darby, COMSUBPAC, for the top enlisted retention in the Pacific Submarine Fleet. In October 1986, the ship received the Squadron Seven "C" for excellence in radio communications.

RADM Darby was embarked for SARGO's final underway operations in September 1986. Once again her torpedo batteries proved to be accurate during very successful proficiency firings. The ship plied Pacific waters submerged for the last time as she operated with two of the nation's newest 688 class submarines and the USS New Jersey and her battle group. On October 6, 1986 the USS SARGO crossed the sill of Drydock #3 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard to end her operational career.

Decommissioned and stricken from the Navy Register on 21 April 1988, former SARGO entered the Navy’s nuclear powered ship and submarine recycling program (NPSSRP) on 14 April 1994. Upon completing the program on 5 April 1995, the former submarine ceased to exist as a complete ship.

USS Sargo, 10 February 1960 at the North Pole.

Outstanding picture of the USS Sargo at the North Pole!

Present!

LOL! Jacques Chirac - l'appareil-photo ajoute toujours quelques livres.

LOL! Thanks for the babelfish link to go with that!

Today's graphic

Good one today, GailA. But then we only expect the best from you.

I think I am agreement that this defacto international boy scount convention should not be based permanently in the United States. But since it is in New York instead, then maybe it si OK where it is.

However, I would like to see them put it (serious comment) at the "Doorway to Europe", the Balkans, and Bosnia would be a very good spot. That is the "flash point" apparently for the meeting of "East and West", and the local hookers and wine merchants there could certainly use the trade.

Thanks for the ping.Great story today and a salute to such heroism under awful circumstances.

Thanks Habs. Glad you liked today's thread.

I do try to bring only the best I can scrounge from the Web

Thanks for today's thread.
My uncle served in this action(and many others).

Thanks for the post SAMWolf. I've been working overtime and have to go out for awhile. I'll read the rest of this later.

NAZIS DIED LIKE FLIES IN BATTLE OF NIJMEGEN BRIDGE

TOUGHER AND BLOODIER THAN SALERNO

Tuesday October 10, 1944
By B. J. McQuaid
Times Foreign Correspondent

With American 82nd Airborne Division, Nijmegen, Holland.

One of a party of war correspondents who came from France to study this northern extremity of the western front, I had the honor of crossing the river Rhine (*read Waal) and looking back on the historic Nijmegen bridge. The clean, undamaged beauty of the single central span, the longest of its kind in all Europe, almost made me forget that we were under fire, and military traffic was incessantly streaming over.

Our guide, Lt. Douglas Gray, North Stonington, Conn., pointed out for us the steep bank up which our paratroopers had stormed from their assault boats to drive the Germans out of their dug-in machinegun nests at point of bayonet. Several hundred yards downstream we saw the great Nijmegen railroad bridge which the paratroopers also captured intact. S.Sgt. David Rosenkrantz, Los Angeles, Cal., told us the story of the scene presented on that railroad bridge during the first hours after the assault boat crossing in which he was a participant.

Rosenkrantz, with a machine gun squad, was in position at the northern end of the bridge when suddenly a whole battalion of German infantry, unaware that the crossing had been made and intent on escaping back toward Germany, started across in marching formation, three abreast. The small band of paratroopers, outnumbered more than 10 to one, waited until the bridge was clogged with Germans from end to end and then, revealing their commanding position, called on the advance foe to surrender. Instead, the Germans began throwing hand grenades.

The Paratroopers sent forward a prisoner they had captured, who agreed to convey the surrender request to his countrymen. The Germans shot him dead as he advanced. This was too much. The paratroopers opened up with machine guns, automatic rifles and bazookas. For the next few minutes the bridge was presented a fantastic spectacle, with the Germans hopelessly trapped withering fire but nonetheless trying to fight back. They took cover behind steel girders and even managed to wriggle up into the superstructure from which they fell like flies into the river.

At dawn the next day dead men hung from girders and blood dripped from steel beams. Paratroopers, walking out onto the bridge counted 267 and carried off scores of wounded. "It was typical of what went on during the battle of Nijmegen Bridge," Rosenkrantz said. "Nijmegen did not last as long as Sicily, Salerno and Anzio, but it was tougher, and bloodier while it lasted."

Everyone in this division has full statistics on the Nijmegen Bridge. Every GI in the outfit takes time to inform you that it was the first bridge across the Rhine that any allied troops secured. They are indignant at news accounts which fail to explain that the river at this point - which the Dutch call the Waal- is actually the lower and major confluence of the Rhine itself.

To men of the 82nd it is never the Waal, it is the Rhine, and they are the ones who got across it, let no historian forget that. And Lt.Col.Robert H.Wiencke, Glencoe, Ill., reminds you that it is four lanes wide and can carry any load an army can subject it to. Judging by the amount of fuss the Germans are putting up to deprive us of this gain, the men's view must be correct. They bang away with artillery all day and all night.

They send over wave after wave of dive-bombers, low, high and medium-level bombers. The British have magnificent anti-aircraft defenses here now. The fireworks display beats anything we have seen since the night attacks on our shipping off the Normandy invasion beachheads.

--------------------
(copyright 1944, by the Indianapolis Times and The Chicago Daily News Inc.)

Found on website at: http://www.nijmegenweb.myweb.nl

~~~

In Memory of Staff Sergeant David "Rosie" Rosenkrantz

82nd Airborne Division
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
3rd Battalion
H Company

Born: Los Angeles, CA, October 31, 1916
MIA: Holland, September 28, 1944

~~~

Incredible bravery in necessary action only delayed by Neville Chamberlain at Munich 1938.

Let the French and Germans and the rest of the whirling gerbils of appeasement reap what they shamefully sow.

Godspeed Swift Victory and Safe Return to the Finest Fighting Force On Earth

God Bless Our Troops, Our Veterans, and Their Families

SADDAM-FREE in '03

. . .the attack begins in five minutes. . .

. . .M. Chirac draws a white hankerchief and a fountain pen and deftly constructs an instrument of surrender. . .