The Very Best Holiday Spirit

Growing-up in the 1960's was a terrific time for a boy (or a girl).

These military toys were beyond the budget of my family; nevertheless, I still have my REMCO genuine, battery-powered US Army Battle Tank.

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Merry Christmas!

Friday Music

Originally a traditional German folk song this tune had little if anything to do with Christmas - or describe a decorated Christmas tree.  The original lyrics had everything to do with a fir tree’s evergreen quality as a symbol of constancy and faithfulness.  You see, a Tannenbaum is a fir tree.  

The folk song eventually became associated with the celebration of Christmas when Ernst Anschütz added two additional verses of his own to the traditional verse in 1824.  The custom of the Christmas tree developed in the course of the 19th century and with Anschütz’s changes the song came to be seen as a Christmas carol early in the 20^th century.

You can also cut the tannenbaum and use the limbs to camouflage your German Leopard tank.

Nothing like heavy armor to get you in the holiday spirit.....

Antebellum Mansion

The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion  is one of the grandest antebellum homes found on the gulf coast and it is right in downtown Mobile Alabama  in Springhill Avenue.

click on images for a better look

 

Built in 1855 by Judge John Bragg it served as the Bragg family's winter home and was the center of the lively social scene stretching from Thanksgiving through Mardi Gras.  The Bragg's primary residence was on their cotton plantation in Lowndes County near Montgomery.  

It sports a couple of massive parlors, a circular staircase and rooms constructed on a grand scale for a time in history when hospitality was a way of life.  An example of Greek Revival architecture the mansion's floor plan and details make it stand out among historic building in the area.  Judge Bragg died in 1878 and four other families have lived in the mansion since.  The last private owner was the A.S. Mitchell family who purchased in in 1931 for the princely sum of $20,000. 

During the war between the states the Confederate forces defending Mobile felled all of the stately live oak trees on the property so that artillery would have an unimpeded field of fire.  Bragg also arranged for all of the furnishings to be removed and taken to the family plantation for safekeeping.  Ironically, everything at the plantation was burned by Wilson's Raiders during the conflict and Mobile never suffered armed conflict.  The live oaks on the property today were sown by Judge Bragg from acorns collected from the original trees.

Notable is the local architect of the mansion - John's brother - Alexander J. Bragg.  Another brother - Braxton Bragg - served in both the United States Army and rose to the rank of general while charged with the conduct of military operations in the Army of the Confederacy.  Fort Bragg North Carolina memorializes Braxton and with 50,000 active duty personnel is the largest military installation in the world.  Another brother - Thomas - was Attorney General for the confederacy.  Overachievers the Bragg brothers were. 
Who says a road trip can't offer-up some interesting history.  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places you can learn more about the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion here.

A Special Centennial Celebration

If you like museums, military history, Wisconsin and are looking for a day or overnight trip to Mad Town during a drab and dreary winter you need to check-out the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.  It’s located on Capitol Square in Madison and is dedicated to the soldiers of the state of Wisconsin.      









The museum is composed of two award-winning galleries that chronicle the history of Wisconsin citizens who served in their nation's wars from the American Civil War to the Persian Gulf War. The Wisconsin Veterans Museum is an educational activity of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.       

The museum dates to 1901 when it was established as the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall in the Wisconsin Capitol.  A Smithsonian Affiliate since 2013, it honors and affirms the role of Wisconsin veterans in shaping the history of Wisconsin and our nation. 









Presently featured is an exhibit dedicated to those who served in the Great War – the War to End All Wars – WWI.  It’s the centennial of the close to that terrible conflict so be sure to check it out. 

You can learn more about it here.

click on images for a better look

Tweet of the Absurd

Four US Special Forces soldiers killed in Niger and not one word from the President.  

He does find time this morning to attack Republican Senator Bob Corker in a tweet storm.  And still no mention of the brave men that paid the ultimate price.

Am I the only one who thinks something has gone horribly wrong?

Beating Terrorists the Old-Fashioned Way

This adds another twist on hundreds of years of the ancient art of falconry - the sport of kings.

It would seem the bad guys have learned to modify remotely-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spy on the good guys, intrude upon restricted airspace and deliver ordnance upon the good guys.  What to do?  Borrow a page or two from the history books.   

Named after characters in the 'Three Musketeers' the French military has been raising four golden eagles - d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis – and is training them to take out UAVs.  Rather than spending a bazillion dollars on a high-tech mechanism to zap the bad-guy drones here’s a creative reuse of old-school technology to hunt-down an aerial intruder.   I’m not making it up – you can learn more about this story here.  

What next?  A modern-day trebuchet?

Something from Santa

click on the US Air Force photo to enlarge

Between August 2014 and November 2016, the U.S. Air Force flew more than 10,000 strikes against the Islamic State extremist group, according to official logs.  American pilots lobbed nearly 28,000 bombs and missiles at a variety of targets.

On Dec. 26, 2016, the U.S. Air Force released a couple of pictures of an F-16 from the Vermont Air National Guard’s 134th Fighter Squadron on a mission over Iraq or Syria. The most eye-catching detail was an unusual piece of gear the pilot was wearing  - a Santa hat over his or her helmet.

Read the complete story here.

Another One Lands in the Drink

Several months ago the Russian navy deployed their sole aircraft carrier - the Admiral Kuznetsov -  to the Mediterranean Sea in a show of force.

The Kuznetsov is an aircraft carrier without catapults, sports shoddy plumbing with only half of its toilets in working order, belches a haze of black smoke from burning oil to power steam turbines so prone to failure that the ship cannot leave port without an ocean-going tug available for a tow.  Guess what?  The arresting cables are prone to failure too.

Dumped an SU-33 fighter jet into the Mediterranean today.  Earlier in November a MIG-29 fighter crashed into the sea attempting to land on the Kuznetsov. 

It's a lucky ship indeed.

Russian Carrier Deploys

The Russian navy is deploying their sole aircraft carrier - the Admiral Kuznetsov -  to the Mediterranean Sea in a show of force.

The Kuznetsov is an aircraft carrier without catapults, sports shoddy plumbing with only half of its toilets in working order, burns belching black oil to power steam turbines so prone to failure that the ship cannot leave port without an ocean-going tug available for a tow.  It is a lucky ship indeed.

In case you want to follow the cruise of the Admiral Kuznetsov you can monitor the transponder for the Nikolay Chiker - the obliging little tug which travels with the mishap-prone carrier always ready to lend a hand or a tow following the inevitable break down.

The World's Largest Kayak Trailer

Oh sure.

I bet you think that this is just an ordinary military low loader.  Something the Army would use to transport a bulldozer or an armored vehicle.

Not so.

I would bet this is going to fetch a load of kayaks.

A kayak transport of this size could haul amored kayaks.  Tons of them.

They're taking over the world after-all.

Protect Your Noggin

I've got a couple of old pieces of GI headgear down in the basement.

Dad used to tell me that the steel outer shell was quite useful.  You could  use it as a wash basin or a stool.  And in a pinch you could cook in it. 

The fiberglass helmet liner was helpful too.  You could keep your personal stash of toilet paper tucked-above the webbing and it would stay dry under the rainiest of conditions. 

The steel pot on the left is quite old - WWII or Korean War vintage.

The helmet on the right has cammo netting but a three-point chin strap - left, right and rear and a form-fitting leather-lined chin cup. 

Airborne equipment?

Anybody know?