The FReeper Foxhole Remembers the Pedestal Convoy and the SS Ohio (8/11-15/1942) - Nov. 3rd, 2004

www.usmm.org ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

.................................................................. .................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

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The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

Welcome to "Warrior Wednesday"
Where the Freeper Foxhole introduces a different veteran each Wednesday. The "ordinary" Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who participated in the events in our Country's history. We hope to present events as seen through their eyes. To give you a glimpse into the life of those who sacrificed for all of us - Our Veterans.

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Operation Pedestal
and
the SS Ohio Save Malta

In mid-1942, the war was going badly for the Allies. During the first six months U-Boats sank 3,250,000 tons of shipping in the Atlantic (an average freighter was 7,000 tons). Rommel rolled through Northern Africa, threatening the Suez Canal, but stopped 35 miles short of Alexandria, Egypt, because of a shortage of supplies. The Nazi war machine reached Stalingrad, with plans to head through the Caucasus for the Middle East oil fields. The Allies had Gibraltar, Malta, and Egypt. The Axis controlled France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, and most of northern Africa. A few countries were neutral (Turkey), or pro-Axis (Spain).

Malta's strategic airfield was key to holding the Mediterranean, but food and oil had to get through past German and Italian bombers. The 250,000 Maltese and 20,000 British defenders were dependent on imported food and oil.

In September of 1941, 8 of 9 merchant ships arrived in Malta bringing 85,000 tons of supplies.

A February 1942 convoy of 3 ships from Alexandria was unsuccessful -- no supplies reached Malta.



A March 1942 convoy of 3 merchant ships plus a Navy oiler, was accompanied by 4 cruisers and 16 destroyers, while another cruiser and its covering force sailed from Malta to meet them. This escort succeeded in keeping an Italian battleship carrying nine 15-inch guns, 3 cruisers and 10 destroyers away from the convoy, but the freighters faced Germans bombers near Malta. One ship was sunk just 20 miles from Malta. The oiler sank within 8 miles of Malta. The remaining two ships arrived to cheers by the Maltese, but were sunk in the harbor with only a fraction of their cargo unloaded.

SS Ohio and SS Kentucky

Great Britain had no tankers capable of 16 knots, so President Franklin Delano Roosevelt turned over the SS Kentucky and SS Ohio to Britain for use in supplying Malta.


SS Ohio in peacetime colors

The tanker SS Ohio was launched on April 20, 1940 at Sun Shipbuilding Yard in Chester, Pennsylvania for Texas Oil Company (now Texaco). In anticipation of war and due to unofficial conversations between the American military and the oil company, the Ohio was the largest tanker built at that time. At 9,263 tons, 485 feet long, she and her sister ships, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado, Montana, Georgia, Delaware, Indiana held 170,000 barrels of oil. With 9,000 shaft horsepower Westinghouse turbine engines, they were rated at 16 knots, but in sea trials Ohio made 19 knots.


HMS Indominatable and HMS Eagle in a photo taken from HMS Victorious during Operation Pedestal 10-15 Augaust 1942.

A June 1942 convoy sent 6 ships including SS Kentucky, escorted part way by a battleship, 2 aircraft carriers and 4 cruisers east from Gibraltar, Simultaneously, 11 merchant ships escorted by 8 cruisers and 40 others headed west from Alexandria. The capital ships withdrew before the narrow channel between Sicily and Africa, leaving the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo and 13 escorts. The results: 6 merchant ships sunk, 3 damaged, 7 turned back to Alexandria, 2 supply ships arrived in Malta; British Navy - 5 cruisers damaged, 4 destroyers sunk and 1 damaged. No fuel oil got through.



Operation Pedestal in August 1942 was the final effort to supply Malta before she was forced to surrender.

14 merchant ships: Almeria Lykes (C3, US), Brisbane Star, Clan Ferguson, Decaulion, Empire Hope, Dorset, Glenorchy, Melbourne Star, Ohio, Port Chalmers, Rochester Castle, Santa Elisa (C2, US), Waimarama, Wairangi	9 merchant ships sunk, 3 damaged 5 arrive in Malta
2 battleships: Nelson, Rodney	turned back as planned
4 aircraft carriers: Victorious, Indomitable, Eagle, Furious	1 aircraft carrier sunk, 1 damaged, 1 turns back as planned
7 cruisers: Phoebe, Sirius, Charybdis, Nigeria, Kenya, Manchester, Cairo	2 cruisers sunk, 2 turned back as planned
33 destroyers	1 destroyer sunk, 4 damaged
2 tugs, 4 corvettes, 4 minesweepers and 7 motor launches from Malta

The timeline of their passage through the Mediterranean:

August 10-11 night


OPERATION PEDESTAL - EMPIRE HOPE AND WAIMARAMA IN THE CENTRE OF THE PICTURE

• Entered Gibraltar in heavy fog

August 11


HMS Eagle sinks

• 4 torpedoes from German U-73 sink carrier Eagle, 260 men lost, all but 4 planes lost
• Carrier Furious flies off 36 planes for Malta, turns back as planned. Destroyer rams and sinks Italian submarine.
• 40 German bombers attack convoy

OPERATION PEDESTAL. UNDER ATTACK. 1942.

August 12

• 20 Junker 88s attack convoy
• Submarine attacks
• 100 German & Italian planes attack - Deucalion sunk by aerial torpedo; dud hits carrier Victorious
• Italian submarine forced to surface by depth charges
• 30 Junker 87s, attack, carrier Indomitable hit three times; destroyer Foresight damaged by aerial torpedo and had to be sunk
• Cruisers Cairo and Nigeria torpedoed by Italian submarines: Cairo abandoned, Nigeria returns to Gibraltar
• Ohio torpedoed by Italian submarine and on fire. Manages 13 knots after repair.
• 20 Junkers 88s attack. Gunners on Almeria Lykes shoot down 2 planes. Empire Hope bombed, high octane gas on fire, abandoned and sunk by escort. Clan Ferguson hit and explodes, Italian sub rescues 53 survivors. Brisbane Star crippled by aerial torpedo. Cruiser Kenya damaged by torpedo from Italian submarine.

A torpedo hits the Ohio

August 13

• Passed through minefields between Africa and Sicily around midnight. 8 Italian torpedo boats make 15 attacks: cruiser Manchester hit, sinks by evening; Santa Elisa (US) hit by torpedo, entire ship on fire and abandoned; Almeria Lykes (US) torpedoed, sinks immediately; British Wairangi and Glenorchy torpedoed, on fire, no survivors from Glenorchy; Rochester Castle torpedoed but keeps going. It is now 4 AM.
• Fighters from Malta fired on by convoy because communications out. 12 Junkers 88s attack. Waimarana hit, aviation gas on deck bursts into fire, ship explodes and sinks, 80 of 107 crew killed. Wreckage starts fires on Melbourne Star.
• 60 Stuka dive bombers attack, focus on Ohio. Near-miss buckles plates and forward tank fills with water. Junkers 88 crashes onto Ohio. Junkers 87 bounces off the water, crashes onto Ohio. Ohio avoids mines, torpedoes and circling torpedoes, 2 bombs straddle her, lift her out of the water. Boilers blown, she is dead in the water at 10:50 AM.
• Dorset disabled by 3 near misses, engine room flooded, high octane gas on fire, abandoned. 12 Italian torpedo bombers attack, Port Chalmers catches torpedo in paravane (submerged floats meant to catch mines). Bomb nearby sets Kenya's forward engine room on fire; fire put out. Fighters from Malta provide some air cover.
• Rochester Castle, Port Castle, Melbourne Star steam on to meet escort from Malta, reach Grand Harbour in Valetta at 6 PM.
• Junkers 88 attacks on Ohio. Destroyer tries to tow Ohio, but Ohio wants to go sideways. Ohio nearly split in two as bomb hits in same area as torpedo. Crew abandons ship. Italian torpedo bombers attack.

August 14


The heavily damaged Brisbane Star arrives in La Valetta

• Brisbane Star arrives Malta
• Frederick Larsen, Jr., third mate and Francis Dales, Cadet-Midshipman from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, crew members on the Santa Elisa volunteer to man guns on Ohio during tow. [Text of Distinguished Service Medal Citation below] Weight of Ohio keeps breaking tow lines. Constant air attacks by 20 bombers. Bomb destroys rudder and makes hole in stern of Ohio. Decks awash. Finally, successfully towed while "sandwiched" by two destroyers.

Two destroyers "sandwich" Ohio as she is towed in the Grand Harbour

August 15


Ohio towed in the Grand Harbour.

• Ohio arrives Grand Harbour 9:30 AM to cheering crowds. The convoy is known as "Il-Konvoj ta Santa Marija" because it arrived on St. Mary's feast day, according to our correspondent in Malta.

August 17

• Germany reports that all the tankers in a recent Mediterranean convoy were sunk and not one of the transports reached their destination in Egypt.

In August 1942, 35% of Axis convoys to North Africa did not get through. In September, Allied forces sank 100,000 tons of Axis shipping, including 24,000 tons of fuel destined for Rommel, leaving him desperately short of supplies during his assault at El Alamein on October 26, 1942.

[SAMWolf]

The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the
Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to
Frederick August Larsen, Jr., Junior Third Officer
and
Francis A. Dales, Cadet-Midshipman, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

For Heroism Beyond the Call of duty



[Their] ship was a freighter [SS Santa Elisa] carrying drums of high-octane gasoline, one of two American ships in a small British convoy to Malta. Orders were to "get through at all costs." Heavily escorted, the convoy moved into the Mediterranean, and before noon of that day the enemy's attack began.


SS Santa Elisa

From then on the entire convoy was under constant attack from Axis planes and submarines. Assigned the command of an anti-aircraft gun mounted on the bridge, Larsen contributed to the successful defense of his ship for three days. At 4:00 AM on the morning of the fourth day, torpedo boats succeeded in breaking through and two attacked from opposite sides.

Sneaking in close under the cover of darkness, one opened point blank fire with four .50 caliber machine guns, sweeping the bridge. The other fired a torpedo into the opposite side of the freighter.

Cadet-Midshipman Francis A. Dales

The explosion of the torpedo ignited the gasoline cargo and the American ship was in flames.

Reluctantly orders were given to abandon her. Two hours later, the survivors were picked up by a British destroyer, which then proceeded to take in tow a tanker that had been bombed and could not maneuver [SS Ohio].

HMS Ashanti, Royal Naval Destroyer on convoy duty with the Pedestal convoy during its voyage to Malta.

After five hours of constant dive-bombing, the tanker was hit again -- her crew abandoned her -- and the destroyer was forced to cut her loose.

But the cargo she carried was most important to the defense of Malta, and it had to get through. The rescue destroyer and another destroyer steamed in -- lashed themselves on either side of the stricken tanker -- and dragged her along in a determined attempt to get her to port. The tanker's decks and superstructure had been almost completely wrecked by the incessant bombardment.

EMPIRE HOPE WITH H.M.S EAGLE TO HER RIGHT, THIS PHOTO WAS PROBABLY TAKEN FROM ONBOARD THE BRISBANE STAR

But Larsen's anxiety to get into the fight caused him to take inventory of her armament. He found an anti-aircraft gun mounted abaft the stack which needed only minor repairs to put it into action. The young cadet of his own ship, Francis A. Dales, a British Gunner's mate, and three of his men volunteered to help him. Though the ships were then constantly under attack; they boarded her, repaired the gun and manned it, with Larsen taking the trainer's position, and the gunner's mate and the cadet alternating as pointers. The shackled ships, inching along and making perfect targets, were assailed by concentrated enemy air power.


German Stuka Bombers

All that day wave after wave of German and Italian bombers dived at them and were beaten off by a heavy barrage. Bombs straddled them, scoring near misses, but no direct hits were made until noon the next day, when the tanker finally received a bomb down her stack which blew out the bottom of her engine room. Though she continued to settle until her decks were awash, they fought her through until dusk that day brought them under the protection of the hard fighting air force of Malta.

The magnificent courage of this young third officer and cadet-midshipman constitutes a degree of heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.

[Combination of two nearly identical Citations]

[alfa6]

Maltese Falcon Bump for the Foxhole

HEHEHE

Regards

a;fa6 ;>}

[SAMWolf]

Honour shared

Historians claim that one ship, the tanker SS Ohio with its cargo of 14,600 tons of fuel oil for ships, submarines and domestic use was responsible for saving Malta from having to surrender in August 1942. But surely the original HMS Ledbury in the first instance must share in this honour too.


HMS Ledbury

The Ohio was an American ship manned by a British crew and few the red ensign of the Merchant Navy. She was, quite unusually, armed with nine Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, far more than a destroyer. She sailed on August 3 in convoy WS 21S, ostensibly bound for Suez via the Cape of Good Hope but instead joined with 13 other merchantmen Operation Pedestal bound for the relief of Malta.


HMS Ledbury helps keep the crippled tanker Ohio afloat

On August 12, she was torpedoed on the port side aft of the bridge. This stopped her engines and wrecked her steering and compasses. The convoy steamed on and Ledbury stood by her. Eventually, she managed to get under way again, steering by emergency gear from the poop deck. By this time it was getting dark and Ledbury put a dim blue light on her stern and led the OHIO through the British minefield OHIO managed to work up to 16 knots and both ships caught up with the convoy.

The Ledbury goes into the flames to rescue survivors

Eighty miles from Malta they came under massive air attacks and Ohio's gunners shot down three Junkers 88s. Unfortunately, two landed on her, one on her fore deck and the other just forward of her bridge. A bomb hit her and she lost all power and her rudder. She was down by the bow and her top deck was down to sea level. HMS Ledbury lashed herself to one side HMS Pathfinder to her other and HMS Eskimo attached herself to the stern by a cable from her fo'c'sle. So, with two destroyers providing the propulsion and the third acting as her rudder, they arrived in Grand Harbour Malta on August 15.



Considering that they were under constant air attack it was a magnificent feat of seamanship.


The precious cargo at last reaches its destination

HMS Ledbury was one of 49 Hunt class destroyers all named after famous hunts, such as Cowdray, Bleasdale, Talybont etc. She was built by Thornycrofts at Woolston Southampton in September 1941 and had a ship's company of 146.

JOHN LAMKIN, New Street, Ledbury.

Additional Sources:

www.gc-database.co.uk
www.thisisworcestershire.co.uk
www.barryweekleyart.com
news.bbc.co.uk
www.shawsavillships.co.uk
www.homestead.com
www.onwar.com
www.brooksart.com
www.comandosupremo.com
www.military-art.com
users.swing.be
www.geocities.com/mike_ buhagiar
www.wlb-stuttgart.de
exordio.com
www.nzetc.org
news.mod.uk
maltaconvoyaug42.freewebspace.com

[SAMWolf]

Dudley William MASON, GC

No. & Rank at the Time of Action: 1113869, Captain

Unit/Occupation: Merchant Navy (Master, SS Ohio)

Date and Place of Birth: 7th October 1901, Surbiton, Surrey

Family: Father was a Chauffeur

Early Life: Dudley William Mason Went to school in Long Ditton before going to sea as an Apprentice at 17 in June 1920.

Date and Place of GC Action: At sea en route to Malta

Citation: "The KING has been graciously pleased to award the GEORGE CROSS to:

Captain Dudley William MASON, Master, S.S. "Ohio".


Captain Dudley Mason

During the passage to Malta of an important convoy Captain Mason's ship suffered most violent onslaught. She was a focus of attack throughout and was torpedoed early one night. Although gravely damaged, her engines were kept going and the Master made a magnificent passage by hand-steering and without a compass. The ship's gunners helped to bring down one of the attacking aircraft. The vessel was hit again before morning, but though she did not sink, her engine room was wreaked. She was then towed. The unwieldy condition of the vessel and persistent enemy attacks made progress slow, and it was uncertain whether she would remain afloat. All next day progress somehow continued and the ship reached Malta after a further night at sea.


RAF Spitfires ward off further Luftwaffe attacks as the American tanker 'Ohio' limps towards Malta during Operation 'Pedestal', the most heavily attacked convoy of WWII.

The violence of the enemy could not deter the Master from his purpose. Throughout he showed skill and courage of the highest order and it was due to his determination that, in spite of the most persistent enemy opposition, the vessel, with her valuable cargo, eventually reached Malta and was safely berthed." (The award is dated 4th September 1942.)


Captain Dudley Mason recovering in hospital. He was awarded the George Cross for his courage shown leading SS Ohio to Malta's harbour in Operation Pedestal

Account of Deed: In August 1942, the Ohio, a 14,000 ton tanker belonging to the Texas Oil Company on loan to the British Ministry of War Transport and under the command of Captain Mason, was one of a fleet of 14 merchant vessels being sent to the aid of Malta. The convoy, with its naval and air escort, first met enemy action on 11th August and next day when the expected air attacks began, it became apparent that the Ohio was to be the main target of the enemy. For the next four days she suffered continuous attacks from enemy aircraft and submarines. She sustained grave damage from a torpedo, two sticks of bombs lifted her right out of the water and another exploded in her boiler room, a Stuka crashed and exploded on her deck, her back was broken and she was twice abandoned and twice reboarded. In spite of all this she finally reached Malta on 15th August and was literally carried into Valetta harbour, lashed between two destroyers and it was not until the last of her fuel had been pumped out that she finally sank. Captain Mason's award of the George Cross was not only for the master's personal indomitable courage and determination, but for every member of his crew.



Remarks:

Additional Information: May have served in the Great War. Was elected a member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners in November 1954. Other gallantry awards made to the crew of the SS Ohio during Operation Pedestal included a Distinguished Service Order, five Distinguished Service Crosses and seven Distinguished Service Medals.

---

Hole done by bomb damage in the Ohio revealed during the unloading of it's fuels.

The Ohio, the crippled survivor of 'Operation Pedestal' not long after her precious cargo had been removed was towed to another part of the harbour (Rinella Bay) and later had broken in half at her mooring. Attempts were made to join the halves but local facilities proved unable to do the job satisfactorily and the expense of towing the halves miles away to Gibraltar or Alexandra where too great to justify. She was used as a makeshift store and later fitted out to house Yugoslav troops.



Then on September 19th 1946 her future was decided, the two rusted streaked halves were towed to deep water ten miles from Malta to where the executioner, a destroyer was waiting , After the first shots the rear portion weakened by the Germans bombs soon disappeared from sight, the buoyant forepart refused to sink armour piercing shells blasted the bridgework and the shored up amid ship section where she had been struck by a German torpedo slowly she sank beneath the waves, the bows pointing skyward in a final farewell. Then she was gone.

[SAMWolf]

Here are the recommended holiday mailing dates for military mail this year:

For military mail addressed TO APO and FPO addresses, the mailing dates are:

• Parcel Post - November 13
• Space Available - November 27
• Parcel Airlift - December 4
• Priority Mail, First Class cards and letters - Mailing date is December 11 to all locations
  • EXCEPT for locations starting with ZIP 093. For all locations starting with ZIP 093 the mailing date is December 6.
• Express Mail - December 20 to locations where Express Mail service is available. Check with your local post office to determine which APO/FPO addresses can receive Express Mail. Note: This service is not available to ships.

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For military mail FROM APO and FPO addresses, the mailing dates are:

• Space Available - November 20
• Parcel Airlift - December 4
• Priority Mail, First Class cards and letters - December 11
• Express Mail - December 18 from APO/FPO addresses where Express Mail can be accepted. Check with your local military post office to determine if they can accept Express Mail. Note: This service is not available from ships.

Thanks for the information StayAt HomeMother

---

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization.

---

Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

Thanks to quietolong for providing this link.

---

UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[GailA]

Good Morning Sam.

I laid my beloved husband of 21 years to rest yesterday. He died Friday evening of a massive heart attack. We had a military funeral for him.

His last act of serving his country was casting his vote for GW a week ago Saturday.

[snippy_about_it]

"FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Wednesday Morning Everyone.


If you want to be added to our ping list, let us know.

If you'd like to drop us a note you can write to:

The Foxhole
19093 S. Beavercreek Rd. #188
Oregon City, OR 97045

[snippy_about_it]

It's been a long night, still waiting for Phil's State to be counted. Then off to bed!

[alfa6]

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your husband.

Saddest Regards

alfa6 ;>{

[Diver Dave]

Thanks for the extremely interesting presentation.

I've always been amazed at the Merchant Marine losses but they just kept on fulfilling their missions.

[SAMWolf]

Please accept my condolances on the loss of your husband.

I thank him for his service.

[SAMWolf]

New Mexico and Iowa look good for Bush. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Morning alfa6.

Thanks for posting the "Missing Man" formation for GailA's husband.

[SAMWolf]

Morning DD.

It's too bad they weren't recognized as veterans until the Reagan Administration.

[snippy_about_it]

My dear Gail, this is such sad news. We are so sorry for your loss. Please accept our condolences and prayers.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[The Mayor]

November 3, 2004

Another Chance

Read: Luke 22:24-34

Do you love Me? . . . Tend My sheep. —John 21:16

Bible In One Year: Jeremiah 30-31; Philemon

---

Jesus promised Peter something every repentant believer craves—another chance (Luke 22:31-34). After telling him Satan would sift him as wheat, Jesus reassured Peter that He had prayed that his faith would not fail. Although Peter had insisted he would never forsake Him, Jesus said he would deny Him three times before dawn. In expectation of Peter's restoration, Jesus recommissioned him for future ministry: "When you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren" (v.32).

Preacher George Duncan said, "I don't think many church-vacancy committees would have considered Peter a suitable candidate for a church!" Duncan pointed out that at Pentecost, however, God chose Peter to deliver the most vital sermon in church history. "It would seem," Duncan said, "that some Christians have a message of forgiveness for the unbeliever, but no message of forgiveness for the believer. I'm glad that God does!" Because of that forgiveness, a new day of service dawned for Peter.

Indeed, if you are a repentant believer like Peter, you too can trust the Lord to give you another chance. Confess your sin and experience His forgiveness, healing, and restoration (1 John 1:9). —Joanie Yoder

When we confess our sins to God,
We're washed as white as snow;
Then He will send us out again—
His love and grace to show. —Sper

God's forgiveness always comes with another chance.

[U S Army EOD]

I once remember reading an account of a British freighter that was damaged on the Malta run which lost all power. The convoy left her behind, but a day or two later she "sailed" into Malta on her on and I do mean sailed.

The crew rigged sails on the ships craines and litterally sailed her to Malta. I wish I could find that again.

[Valin]

On this Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on November 03:
0039 Lucan Cordova Spain, Latin poet (Bellum Civile)
1718 John Montague 4th Earl of Sandwich, inventor (sandwich)
1793 Stephen Fuller Austin colonized Texas
1794 William Cullen Bryant poet (Thanatopsis)
1801 Karl Baedeker Germany, published travel books
1816 Jubal Anderson Early Lt General (Confederate Army), died in 1894
1818 Gustavus Adolphus DeRussy Brig Gen (Union volunteers), died in 1891
1826 Jasper Adalmorn Maltby Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1867
1830 Esten Cooke John (Confederate Army), died in 1886
1833 Edward Dorr Tracy Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1863
1844 Mehmed V Reshad sultan of Turkey (1909-18)
1852 Mutsuhito 122nd emperor of Japan (1867-1912)
1857 Michail V Aleksejev Russian general (WW I-chief of staff)
1879 Vilhjalmur Stefansson Canada, Arctic explorer/ethnologist
1880 Edmond Barrett heavyweight wrestler (Olympic-bronze-1908)
1903 Walker Evans US, photographer (Fortune Magazine)
1908 Bronko Nagurski NFL fullback (Chicago Bears)
1909 James Reston columnist (NY Times)
1911 Vladimir Ussachevsky Hailar Manchuria, composer (Creation)
1918 Bob Feller pitcher (Cleveland Indian, 3 no-hitters)
1918 Russell B Long (D-Sen-La)
1919 Bert Freed NYC, actor (Rufe-Shane)
1922 Charles Bronson Pennsylvania, actor (Death Wish, Dirty Dozen)
1930 William H Dana pilot (X-15)
1931 Monica Vitti Rome Italy, actress (Tigers in Lipstick)
1933 Aneta Corsaut Jutchinson KS, actress (Helen Crump-Andy Griffith
1933 Ken Berry Moline IL, actor/dancer/TV personality (F Troop, Mayberry RFD)
1933 Louis W Sullivan US Secretary of Health & Human Services (1989- )
1933 Michael S Dukakis (D-Gov-MA) (1988 Presidentidential Candidate)
1935 Jeremy Brett actor (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)
1943 Ken Holtzman Cub/Oriole/Yankee pitcher (2 no-hitters)
1948 Lulu (Marie Lawrie) Glasgow Scotland, singer/actress (To Sir With Love)
1948 Tom Shales TV Critic (Washington Post)
1949 Larry Holmes heavyweight boxing champ (1978)
1949 Michael Evans Salisbury NC, actor (Lionel-All in the Family)
1952 Roseanne Barr Arnold Salt Lake City, comedienne/TV star (Roseanne)
1953 Dennis Miller Pittsburgh PA, comedian/TV host (SNL, Dennis Miller Show)
1954 Adam Ant [Stuart Goddard], punk rocker (If I Strip For You)
1954 Kevin P Chilton Los Angeles CA, major USAF/astronaut (sk: STS-49)
1954 Godzilla, Japanese monster
1955 Phil Simms NFL quarterback (NY Giants, Superbowl 1986)
1959 Dolph Lundgren actor (Rocky IV)
1959 Timothy Patrick Murphy Hartford CT, actor (Dallas, Glitter)
1961 Kari Michaelsen NYC, actress (Katie-Gimme a Break)

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Deaths which occurred on November 03:
0361 Flavius Julius Constantius II, 1st Byzantine Emperor, dies at 44
1378 Jan II ruler of Polanen/Leck/Breda, dies
1639 Martinus de Porres Peru saint (patron of social rights), dies at 69
1864 Antonio Gonsalves Dias Brazilian national poet, dies at sea
1926 Annie Oakley dies
1962 Harlow H Curtice President of General Motors (1953-8), dies at 69
1990 Mary Martin actress (Peter Pan), dies at 76
1996 Jean-Bedel Bokassa, dictator of Cent Africa Rep (1967-79), dies at 75

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1965 BOWLES DWIGHT POLLARD---STAUNTON VA.
1967 EGGER JOHN C. JR.---TULSA OK.
[REMAINS IDNETIFIED 15 AUG 94]
1967 GRAUERT HANS H.---ROCHESTER NY.
1967 KRUSI PETER H.---SMITHFIELD UT.
1969 BROWN WILLIAM T.---LA HABRA CA.
1969 NORTON MICHAEL R.---ESKDALE WV.
1969 SHUE DONALD M.---KANNAPOLIS NC.
1969 WALD GUNTHER H.---BERGEN NJ.
1970 CARVER ROBERT C---AUSTRALIA
1970 DAY DENNIS I.---BLACKWELL OK.
"LCU SANK, NO SURV OBS"]
1970 DORITY RICHARD C.---DOVER-FOXCROFT ME.
["LCU SANK, NO SURV OBS"]
1970 GINN DAVID L.---ANDERSON SC.
["LCU SANK, NO SURV OBS"]
1970 HERBERT MICHAEL P.---AUSTRALIA
1970 KITCHENS PERRY C.---DECATUR GA.
[11/24/74 REMAINS RECOVERED ID 03/16/77]
1970 MANGUS ARLIE R.---KITTANNING PA.
1970 MARTIN JERRY D.---BEDFORD IN.
1970 NORRIS CALVIN A.---MONTEREY TN.
1970 PANTALL JAMES R.---CLYMER PA.
1970 SHEWMAKE JOHN D. SR.---ADONA AR.
1970 WOODS DAVID W.---FRANKLIN OH.
1971 DE CAIRE JACK L.---ST PETERSBURG FL.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

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On this day...
0644 Kalief Omar I injured during assassination attempt
1394 Jews are expelled from France by Charles VI
1507 Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint Lisa Gherardini ("Mona Lisa").
1534 English parliament accepts Act of Supremacy: Henry VIII church leader
1620 Great Patent granted to Plymouth Colony
1679 Great panic occurs in Europe over the close approach of a comet
1762 England & Spain signs Treaty of Paris
and Spain acquires Louisiana
1791 Battle at Wabash: Indians assault Gen St Clair/killed 637 soldiers
1783 Washington orders the Continental Army disbanded
1813 US troops under gen Coffee destroy indian village at Talladega Ala
1820 Cuenca, Ecuador declares independence
1839 1st opium war-2 British frigates engage several Chinese junks
1862 Battle between gunboats at Bayou Teche, Louisiana
1862 Dr Richard Gatling patents machine gun(gatling gun) in Indianapolis
1863 Battle of Grand Coteau, GA
1867 Battle at Mentana: French/pontifical troops beat Garibaldi
1868 1st black elected to Congress (John W Menard, Louisiana)
1868 Ulysses Grant (R) wins presidential election over Horatio Seymour (D)
1874 James Theodore Holly, elected bishop of Haiti
1883 Race riots in Danville Virginia (4 blacks killed)
1883 A poorly trained Egyptian army, led by British General William Hicks, marches toward El Obeid in the Sudan--straight into a Mahdist ambush and massacre.
1885 Tacoma vigilantes drive out Chinese, burn their homes & businesses
1888 Jack the Ripper kills last victim (or did he?)
1896 William McKinley (R) defeats William Jennings Bryan (D) for President
1899 Jim Jeffries retains heavyweight boxing title over Sailor Tom Sharkey
1900 1st national automobile show opens at Madison Square Garden (NYC)
1903 Colombia grants Panama independence
1908 William Howard Taft (R) elected 27th President over William Jennings Bryan
1916 Treaty establishes British suzerainty over Qatar
1917 1st class mail now costs $0.03
1918 Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolves
1918 Poland proclaims independence from Russia after WW I
1928 Turkey switches from Arabic to Roman alphabet
1930 1st vehicular tunnel to a foreign country (Detroit-Windsor) opens
1930 Bank of Italy becomes Bank of America
1931 1st commercially produced synthetic rubber manufactured
1935 George II returns to Greece & regains monarchy
1936 President FDR wins landslide victory over Alfred M Landon (R)
1946 Emperor Hirohito proclaims new Japanese constitution
1952 Clarence Birdseye markets frozen peas
1952 Egypt protests German retribution payments to Israel
1953 "Sacrifice fly" reactivated in baseball (1939)
1953 1st live color coast-to-coast telecast (NYC)
1954 Linus Pauling wins Nobel Chemistry Prize
1955 Alabama woman bruised by a meteor
1955 Australia takes control of the Cocos Islands
1956 "Wizard of Oz" 1st televised (CBS-TV)
1957 USSR launches Sputnik 2 with a dog (Laika), 1st animal in orbit
1962 Wilt Chamberlain of NBA San Francisco Warriors scores 72 points vs Los Angeles Lakers
1964 LBJ (D) soundly defeats Barry Goldwater (R) for President
1964 Robert Kennedy, brother of the slain president, is elected as a senator from New York.
1968 NY Jet Jim Turner kicks 6 field goals to beat Buffalo 25-21
1970 Salvador Allende inaugurated as President of Chile
1973 Good Morning America premiers on ABC (David Hartman & Nancy Dussault)
1973 Mariner 10 launched-1st Venus pics, 1st mission to Mercury
1978 UK grants Dominica independence (National Day)
1979 5 mortally wounded during anti-Ku Klux Klan demonstration in NC

1979 63 Americans taken hostage at US Embassy (Teheran, Iran)

1982 Detroit blocks 20 Cleveland Cavalier shots tying NBA regulation game record
1983 Jesse Jackson launches his 1st campaign for Presidency (D)
1984 3,000 die in 3 day anti-Sikh riot in India
1984 Body of assassinated Indian PM Indira Gandhi cremated
1986 Lebanese magazine Ash Shirra reveals secret US arms sales to Iran
1986 President Machel killed in air crash in Mozambique
1988 Pakistan claims it downed Afghan warplane
1988 Reagan signs credit-card disclosure-bill
1988 Soviet Union agrees to allow teaching of Hebrew
1988 Talk-show host Geraldo Rivera's nose is broken as Roy Innis brawls with skinheads at TV taping
1989 Minnesota Timberwolves' 1st NBA game, lose to Seattle, 106-94
1991 NYC Marathon winners are Salvador Garcia (Mex) & Liz McColgan (Scot)
1992 Bill/Hillary Clinton elected US President
2001 Osama bin Laden, in a taped message, called the U.S. led attack on Afghanistan a war against Islam.
2002 North Korea was reported ready to negotiate its newly disclosed nuclear weapons program with the United States, including the dismantling of its uranium-enrichment facilities. (riiiight)

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

Ecuador : Cuenca's Independence Day
Japan : Culture Day
Panama : Independence Day (1903)
Texas : Father of Texas Day (1793)
Dominica : National Day
US : Notary Public Week (Day 2)
US : Sandwich Day
International Cat Week (Day 2)
International Doll Collectors Month

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Religious Observances
RC : Memorial of Blessed Martin de Porres, confessor (opt)
Chr : Commemoration of St Hubert, bishop of LiŠge, patron of hunters
RC : Commemoration of St Malachy, Irish bishop
Ang : Commemoration of Richard Hooker, priest
RC : Feast of Blessed Martin de Porres, confessor

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Religious History
0753 Death of St. Pirminius, first abbot of the Benedictine monastery at Reichenau (located in modern Germany). His name endures today as author of a book entitled "Scarapsus," which is the earliest known writing to contain the Apostles' Creed as it is worded in its present form.
1631 English clergyman John Eliot, 27, first arrived in America, at Boston. He afterward became the first Protestant minister to devote himself to evangelization of the American Indian.
1784 English clergyman Thomas Coke, 37, first arrived in America, at New York City. He was the first Methodist bishop to come to the New World.
1818 Pliny Fisk, 26, set sail for Palestine. Ordained by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Fisk became the first American missionary to journey to the Near East.
1925 The Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance was organized at St. Louis, MO. It became the forerunner of a new denomination, established in 1932 as the Pentecostal Church, Inc.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"If you don't think every day is a good day, just try missing one."

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Childrens Impression of Love...
HOW TO MAKE LOVE ENDURE

"Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work." (Tom, 7)

"Don't forget your wife's name...That will mess up the love." (Roger, 8)

"Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash." (Randy, 8)

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Children's stories that never made it...
Babar Meets the Taxidermist

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Handy Latin Phrases...
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt.

When catapults are outlawed, only outlaws will have catapults

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Redefining the English language
Primate (n.)
Removing your spouse from the computer