"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
Uh-oh... I think a certain Sergeant is about to be reassigned to archives.
While amusing, this reminds me of when Time magazine screwed over the USS Pueblo crew when they were photographed for propaganda by the NorKs and gave the "Hawaiian good luck sign" with their raised middle fingers. And of course, Time being Time, blew the gaff so the guys got some extra attention from their "hosts."
You're full of stories like the Ancient Mariner Steve. ' "There was a ship!" quoth he...'
My grandfather's grandfather and his father were both master mariners. Both named Capt William Pines, the younger ended up commanding the 'Hudson' on the Liverpool to Sydney run, using his sons as crew, where they fled his tyranny!
My uncle was on HMAS Canberra in the battle of Savo Island I believe. Honoured by FDR they say. He managed to survive the war. Had an anchor tatooed on his arm and 'swore like a sailor' which he was. Heart of gold, we miss him.
I mean my grandfather's grandfather's father was the original Captain William Pines, then his son was William jnr, also a master mariner, on the Sydney run. Pines snr died in Burma in 1830 we believe.
Posting this photo to Facebook earned me an instant fact check!
"Independent fact-checkers at Lead Stories say information in your post is partly false. To stop the spread of false news, we've added a notice to your post."
Looks like the FB "fact" "checkers" don't like anyone dissing their man!
G'day, Bruce! Are you in the Sydney area? I was in and out of that port several times in the mid Nineties, it's certainly the most interesting harbor I have seen. We berthed across from the Opera House by the Coat Hanger Bridge.
First time I visited Oz was Fremantle/Perth in '82. The USN was extremely popular there and then, I had people alive during WWII tell me, tears in their eyes, that America stood by them while the Pommies cut and run. That was an overstatement, but many Australians really believed that the UK failed its obligations and held the US in high regard. I don't think I had to pay for a drink the whole time there.
Another time in the early Nineties I was in Fremantle aboard USNS Pecos, a fleet oiler. One old gent came down to the pier and mentioned to me that my ship was not the first of her name. No, I said, an earlier USS Pecos left on her final voyage from there in 1942 trying to deliver oil and aircraft to Jakarta, and was sunk by the Japanese. He said that he knew, he was a boy and his father brought him down to the pier to watch that ship leave. Several days later a destroyer returned with survivors. That was humbling.
Yes Steve, grew up on the harbour but have moved to the hills. The Poms surrendered Singapore in 1942, including 10 plus thousands of our best troops they had demanded we send to stop the Jap advance. There were contingency plans to blow up the coathanger and flee westward, until MacArthur flew in. My dad said there was dancing in the streets when they saw US planes. My mother's father worked on Cockatoo Docks, including US ships.
The British ruled the waves, and then they didn't - 1942 was the main turning point I'd say. Glad you were well treated, Americans are very hospitable to us as well.
Bruce, one Aussie who got out of Singapore was a General Bennett, who just abandoned his troops and split. He was in such bad odor afterwards that he was never given another combat command. I wonder if his name was the inspiration for the d*ckheaded Aussie villain in the Schwartzenegger film Commando? I guess for every Monash you have a Bennett.
That role in Commando was incidentally played by the same actor who was Wez in the second Mad Max film (released in the States as Road Warrior).
About two years ago I was at the gun counter in Sportsman's Warehouse (was a time you could go into a store and they would have firearms for sale - also ammunition!) and said "Boy, you guys have a lot of ARs, huh... but then, you're not Dick's."
Yes Steve, and apparently Bennett retired to his dacha in a town near me where he was a local VIP in the 1950s. History is never as simple as popular feeling expects, but people want heroes and villains, what to do?
Keeping our sense of humor is a good policy. That's one thing Aussies and Americans always had in common I think - we 'get' the same jokes.
Uh-oh... I think a certain Sergeant is about to be reassigned to archives.
ReplyDeleteWhile amusing, this reminds me of when Time magazine screwed over the USS Pueblo crew when they were photographed for propaganda by the NorKs and gave the "Hawaiian good luck sign" with their raised middle fingers. And of course, Time being Time, blew the gaff so the guys got some extra attention from their "hosts."
You're full of stories like the Ancient Mariner Steve. ' "There was a ship!" quoth he...'
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather's grandfather and his father were both master mariners. Both named Capt William Pines, the younger ended up commanding the 'Hudson' on the Liverpool to Sydney run, using his sons as crew, where they fled his tyranny!
My uncle was on HMAS Canberra in the battle of Savo Island I believe. Honoured by FDR they say. He managed to survive the war. Had an anchor tatooed on his arm and 'swore like a sailor' which he was. Heart of gold, we miss him.
I mean my grandfather's grandfather's father was the original Captain William Pines, then his son was William jnr, also a master mariner, on the Sydney run.
ReplyDeletePines snr died in Burma in 1830 we believe.
HAW!
ReplyDeletePosting this photo to Facebook earned me an instant fact check!
"Independent fact-checkers at Lead Stories say information in your post is partly false. To stop the spread of false news, we've added a notice to your post."
Looks like the FB "fact" "checkers" don't like anyone dissing their man!
How is the photo partly false? I mean, it's a photo, right? Is it altered? If not, then it's a photographic image of reality.
ReplyDeleteThis is like the media deciding that a statement can be "technically true" but still be false. Because hey, you got that narrative, amirite?
G'day, Bruce! Are you in the Sydney area? I was in and out of that port several times in the mid Nineties, it's certainly the most interesting harbor I have seen. We berthed across from the Opera House by the Coat Hanger Bridge.
ReplyDeleteFirst time I visited Oz was Fremantle/Perth in '82. The USN was extremely popular there and then, I had people alive during WWII tell me, tears in their eyes, that America stood by them while the Pommies cut and run. That was an overstatement, but many Australians really believed that the UK failed its obligations and held the US in high regard. I don't think I had to pay for a drink the whole time there.
Another time in the early Nineties I was in Fremantle aboard USNS Pecos, a fleet oiler. One old gent came down to the pier and mentioned to me that my ship was not the first of her name. No, I said, an earlier USS Pecos left on her final voyage from there in 1942 trying to deliver oil and aircraft to Jakarta, and was sunk by the Japanese. He said that he knew, he was a boy and his father brought him down to the pier to watch that ship leave. Several days later a destroyer returned with survivors. That was humbling.
I've been flagged for using d**k to describe one of our Political Betters. I see now my mistake was in actually spelling it out.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking: if Barack Obama was President Lightbringer, might we refer to Joebama as President DimmerSwitch?
President DimmerSwitch. HAW! Spot on, Rebecca!
DeleteYes Steve, grew up on the harbour but have moved to the hills. The Poms surrendered Singapore in 1942, including 10 plus thousands of our best troops they had demanded we send to stop the Jap advance. There were contingency plans to blow up the coathanger and flee westward, until MacArthur flew in. My dad said there was dancing in the streets when they saw US planes. My mother's father worked on Cockatoo Docks, including US ships.
ReplyDeleteThe British ruled the waves, and then they didn't - 1942 was the main turning point I'd say. Glad you were well treated, Americans are very hospitable to us as well.
Bruce, one Aussie who got out of Singapore was a General Bennett, who just abandoned his troops and split. He was in such bad odor afterwards that he was never given another combat command. I wonder if his name was the inspiration for the d*ckheaded Aussie villain in the Schwartzenegger film Commando? I guess for every Monash you have a Bennett.
ReplyDeleteThat role in Commando was incidentally played by the same actor who was Wez in the second Mad Max film (released in the States as Road Warrior).
Rebecca: I assume that particular "political better" wasn't Dick Durbin?
ReplyDeleteTough call, Paco... could as well have been that Dick Pelosi, or that Dick Nadler or that Dick Schumer or maybe that Dick Swalwell...
ReplyDeleteAwful lot of Dicks, you know.
More numerous than the bison herds of yore, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteAbout two years ago I was at the gun counter in Sportsman's Warehouse (was a time you could go into a store and they would have firearms for sale - also ammunition!) and said "Boy, you guys have a lot of ARs, huh... but then, you're not Dick's."
ReplyDeleteHaw!
ReplyDeleteYes Steve, and apparently Bennett retired to his dacha in a town near me where he was a local VIP in the 1950s. History is never as simple as popular feeling expects, but people want heroes and villains, what to do?
ReplyDeleteKeeping our sense of humor is a good policy. That's one thing Aussies and Americans always had in common I think - we 'get' the same jokes.