U-18: Snuck Into Scapa Flow and Was Sunk in 1914

From Wikipedia.

The April 2017 VFW magazine had this ship attacking the American town of Orleans, Massachusetts, and the tug Perth Amboy on July 21, 1918, but it didn't as it was sunk in 1914.

Most likely the German submarine firing at these was the U-156 and I have written about it in the past month.

The U-18 was one of 328 submarines in the German Navy during World War I and participated in the First Battle of the Atlantic. It was 205 feet long and had a crew of 4 officers and and 25 men.

It was launched in October 1914 and on its third patrol 23 November, was able to to penetrate the British fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow by following a steamer through the boom.  However, the fleet was not there. That could have been a disaster for Britain.

On its way back out, its periscope was spotted and the periscope was rammed, rendering it unservicable.  Then, the luckless submarine had its diving plane motor break and the ship  became unable to maintain its depth.

The U-18 was rammed a second time by the British destroyer HMS Garry and it was forced to surface.  The crew scuttled the submarine and all were taken prisoner except one man who died.

Talk About Your Bad Luck.  --Cooter

Team of Dreams at Iowa's Field of Dreams Sunday

While in Galena, Illinois, and Dubuque, Iowa, this past week for Liz and my 45th wedding anniversary, I saw plenty of advertising for this event in Dyersville, Iowa.

They are having quite an array of hall of fame retired baseball and even football players there to play a softball game and sign autographs.  And the best thing to me, I recognize all their names, something I can't say with today's players where I do well just to know the White Sox and Cub players.

Here is the list of attendees:

Cal Ripken, Jr
Wade Boggs
Jose Canseco
Tom Glavine
Mark Grace
Steve Carlton

Ozzie Smith
Rickey Henderson
Jack Morris
Alan Trammel
Fred Lynn

And football players:

Thurman Thomas
Dick Butkus
Jerry Kramer

And, Olympic skater Bonnie Blair.

That Would be Really Neat To See All These People.  --Cooter

Best Chicago Sports Announcers-- Part 6: The Next Four

Definitely worth honorable mentions:

Jeff Agrest, Chicago Sun-Rimes.

JIM DURHAM--  The first -- and the best--  basketball voice.

PAT FOLEY--  His personal favorite.  The words just roll off his tongue so smoothly when he does Hawks games.

WAYNE LARRIVEE--  Does TV work for the Bulls and Cubs, but was at his best when he did the Chicago Bears in those great 1980s years.  Like Jeff Agrest, I often tune into the Packers to hear him.  he was the voice of the Bears.

STEVE STONE--  Great at analyzing baseball games and his work with Harry Caray.

--Cooter

Best Four Chicago Sports Broadcasters-- Part 5: Lloyd Pettit

My heart wants to put Pat Foley here, but my head says even Foley would defer to Pettit.  He called Blackhawk games on WGN-TV from 1961 to '75., in addition to Cubs and White Sox games.

By all accounts, he was an outstanding broadcaster, and he had a big influence on Foley.

Pettit's trademark "A shot and a goal!" was akin to Brickhouse's "Hey, Hey!" and Caray's "Holy Cow!"  In fact, it became part of the lyrics to "Here Come the Hawks."  Some say his best work was calling Hawk home games on the radio, where he painted a picture in the minds of listeners and stirred their emotions with the tone of his voice.

I remember listening to him call Hawks games on the radio and could see the action just as if it was on TV.

"A Shot and a GOAL!!"  --Cooter

Chicago's Best Four Sports Announcers-- Part 4: "Hawk"Harrelson

Hawk is currently in his last season in the booth after starting with the Sox in 1982 and staying on for good in 1990.  He'll be remembered for his catchphrases, personality and over-the-top homerism.

It works, especially for a team that can't come out of the shadow of the Cubs.

Hawk's rants are legendary, whether it is about an umpire like Brian Gorman or a villainous foe like former Brewers manager Phil Garner.

He's opinionated, old-school and a joy to listen to.  And, he's synonymous with the White Sox, a true measure of a broadcaster's reach.

And, with me being a Sox fan, I like him.

--Cooter

Chicago's Best Four Sports Announcers-- Part 3: Harry Caray

By Jeff Agrest.

The Will Ferrelll/Ryan Dempster parodies of him make me angry.  They have never actually represented what he was all about.  He was the voice of the fan and he told it like he saw it.

Granted, he was better at his job when he was with the Cardinals (1945-69) and Chicago White Sox (1971-1981)  and a lot of people forget he was with the Sox.  Once he became too big for the Sox' taste, he went to the Cubs (1981-1997, and his persona only grew.

So did his fan base, largely because of him (and cable TV).  His sharpness faded, but his enthusiasm, humor and passion made every Cub game exciting (and there were plenty really, really bad Cub games back then).

He still sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the Cubs 7th inning stretches when there don't have a guest conductor.

Most people would rank Harry Caray as being the best, but I still would go with Jack Brickhouse.

Holy Cow!!  --Cooter

Chicago's Best Four Sportscasters-- Part 2: Jack Brickhouse

Continued from August 10, 2018.

He doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves.  The "Hey, Hey" signs on the Wrigley Field foul poles and his bust in front of the Tribune Tower don't do him justice.

The man deserves his own wing in a museum for all the broadcasting he did.

For WGN-TV he called Cubs games from 1948 -- when Channel 9 went on the air -- to 1981, and White Sox games from 1948 to 1967.  He called Bulls games from 1966 to 1973.  He was also the voice of the Chicago Bears on WGN Radio from 1953 to 1977.

In addition, he called boxing, wrestling and college sports.

Brickhouse was a pioneer in every way.

He's my pick for best announcer.

Hey!  Hey!  --Cooter

A Cow-Buffalo Comes to DeKalb in 1943

From the July 25, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1943, 75 Years Ago.

"A cow buffalo, which was secured through the efforts of State senator Dennis J. Collins, arrived at Hopkins Park to be a mate for 'Big Joe.'

"The cow buffalo which was at the park died a couple years ago.

"Although efforts had been made to secure a cow for Hopkins Park since the death of the other one, all efforts had been to no avail until recently when the DeKalb senator was able to secure one from Lincoln Park in Chicago."

A Hot Time In the Park.  --Cooter

WW I, August 1918: Offensives Leading To the End of the War

AUGUST 18, 1918 to NOVEMBER 11, 1918

OISE-AISNE OFFENSIVE

28th, 32nd, 77th, 88th (artillery) and 93rd  (370th Infantry) Infantry Divisions participate.

U.S. casualties:  1,919 Killed in Action, 8,248 Wounded in Action.


AUGUST 19, 1918 to NOVEMBER 11, 1918

BELGIUM: YPRES-LYS OFFENSIVE

27th, 28th (artillery) 30th, 37th and 91st Infantry Divisions drive to the Scheldt River.

U.S. casualties:  894 Killed in Action, 3,002 Wounded in Action

These two operations brought about the Armistice ending the war.

--Cooter

Electricity Comes to a DeKalb County Farm in 1918

From the July 25, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"N.J. Smith, of Afton township, is one of DeKalb county's progressive farmers, and to prove the fact that he is progressive, has recently had the Swanson brothers install one of their famous Delco lighting systems.

"Mr. Smith ordered lights in all parts of his farm residence, and in all of the outbuildings so that he would not be compelled to bother with the use of kerosene lamps or lanterns at any time."

Flip the Switch, Mr. Smith.  Getting With the Times.  --Cooter

World War I and MLB-- Part 2: Deaths

The following Major League players died as a result of their military service in World War I:

EDDIE GRANT-- killed in action in France.

TOM BUR--  Died in a plane crash in France during training.

BUN TROY--  Killed in action in France.

RALPH SHARMAN--Drowned during training in Alabama

LARRY CHAPPEL--  Spanish flu

HARRY GLENN--  Spanish flu

NEWT HALLIDAY--Tuberculosis/pneumonia

HARRY CHAPMAN--  Died from wounds in Missouri

These two men from the Negro League also died:

NORMAN TRIPLETT--  disease

PEARL WEBSTER--  influenza

Baseball At War.  --DaCoot

World War I and Major League Baseball-- Military and War Plant Workers

From Baseball Reference.

World War I shut down the minor leagues of baseball one by one and caused Major League Baseball to shorten its 1918 season, ending it at Labor Day, Monday, September 2nd.

Notable players who missed playing time because of military service in World War I included Hall of Famers Grover Cleveland Alexander, Red Faber, Jud Wilson and Harry Heilmann.  A number of players also worked in wartime-related industries as War Plant Workers, particularly in steel mills and shipyards, and also missed playing time as a result.

War Plant Workers worked in industries supporting the war effort and were thus ineligible for the draft.

--Cooter

August 15, Quite a Day in History

From the August 15, 2018, Kenosha (Wis.) News "Today in History."

1812--  The Battle of Fort Dearborn took place.  Fort Dearborn is where Chicago is today, but back then was just a frontier fort.  This took place during the War of 1812 and is also called a massacre.

1914--  The Panama Canal officially opens as the SS Ancon crossed between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

1935--  Humorist Will Rogers and aviator Wiley Post killed in airplane crash near Point Barrow in Alaska Territory.

1944--  Allied forces landed in southern France in Operation Dragoon during WW II.

1945--  In a pre-recorded radio address, Japan's Emperor Hirohito announced that Japan had accepted terms of surrender ending WW II.

1961--  As workers begin constructing the Berlin Wall, East German soldier Conrad Schumann lept to freedom over barbed wire in a scene made famous in a photograph.

1965--  The Beatles played to a crowd of 55,000 at New York's Shea Stadium.

1969--  The Woodstock Music and Art Festival opened in upstate New York.

Like I Said, a Pretty Important Day in History.  --DaCoot

MLB Catcher Hank Gowdy Enters Military Service in WW I

June 27, 2018, Chicago Tribune  On This Date.

JUNE 27, 1917

Catch Hank Gowdy of the Boston Braves becomes the first major league player to enter military service in World War I.

Eight Major League Players Died during the war.

A total of 250 Major League Baseball players served in the military during the war.

--Cooter

Battle of Amiens: The "Black Day of the German Army"

From Wikipedia.

The Battle of Amiens is also known as the Third Battle of Picardy.  It took place August 8-12, 1918. and was the opening phase of The Allied Hundred Days Offensive, that ultimately led to the end of World War I with the Armistice on November 11.

Allied forces advanced seven miles on the first day.  This essentially put an end to the trench warfare.

The battle is also notable in regards to the morale of both sides, especially with the large numbers of German soldiers who surrendered.  This led German hero and general Erich Ludendorf to describe the first day of battle as "The Black Day of the German Army."

Amiens was also the first battle involving large armored warfare with tanks punching holes through the German lines.

DaCoot

Wisconsin's Camp McCoy

I have been writing about Camp McCoy/Fort McCoy in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog.

From www.mccoy.army.mil.  Fort McCoy History.

Named after General Robert Bruce McCoy who was instrumental in getting the post established.  After the Spanish-American War he envisioned the site as a place to train artillerymen.

In 1906, Secretary of War William Howard Taft proposed the construction of four large camps across the U.S. for the training of regular Army and National Guard units.

In 1909, Camp Robinson and Camp Emory Upton were established.  The site soon proved to be an excellent field artillery training site and was much-used for that purpose.

Improvements and additions were made between 1910 and 1919.  This included rifle ranges, office buildings and storehouses.  Until 1919, the camp was a favorite for artillery and at one time was described as the  largest, most modern and beautiful installations in the nation.

It continued to grow through World War I with the construction of barracks, mess halls, stables and  warehouses.

Field artillery units trained there throughout the war and into 1918.

--Cooter

Battle Of Amiens: By Jove, the War's Coming To An End

August 8, 2018, Guardian U.K. "By Jove, the war's coming to an end':  Battle of Amiens remembered" Daniel Boffey.

"aerial, ,mechanical and human courage and ingenuity combined with devastating results" and turned the tide of the war, according to England's Prince William.

The four day assault, referred to as the Battle of Amiens, launched at 4:20 a.m. 100 years ago todat.  It was not as big as the Second Battle of the Somme or Passchendale, but was a truly coordinated "Allied attack" and a "great endeavor, of 100,000 British, French, Canadian and U.S. troops that broke the will of the German Army and was a springboard to the final victory at Armistice Day.

This attack included hundreds of tanks.

--Cooter

World War I Chronology, August 1918: Battle of Amiens and U.S. First Army

AUGUST 9  BATTLE OF AMIENS

U.S. and British forces capture Morlan-Count-Chipilly Ridge.

U.S. 5th Infantry Division captures Frapelle.


AUGUST 10

AEF (American Expeditionary Force) is organized into the U.S. First Army.

--Cooter

Picking Chicago's Four Best Sports Broadcasters-- Part 1

From the July 6, 2018, Chicago Sun-Times  "A combo worth carving in stone" by Jeff Agrest.

He's thinking of giving them Mt. Rushmore treatment and admits this is a pretty hard task.

His criteria, the broadcaster had to:

(a) be good at his job
(b)  have a profound and lasting effect on the team's fan base

Any Ideas?  --CootHeyHey

Time to Pay Up Those Salvation Army World War I Pledges

From the July 11, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"Those people of the city who promised to pay a certain amount to the Salvation Army war fund are asked, appealed to and even requested to call at the First National bank and pay the pledges.

"The Salvation Army needs money at this time and badly."

Pay Up!  --Cooter

The Second Battle of the Somme

From Wikipedia.

This was the offensive mentioned in the previous post.

Was fought on the Western Front 21 August to 2 September 1918 in the basin of the River Somme.  It was one of a series of Allied counterattacks after the German Spring Offensive of that year.  This battle formed the central part of the Allied final drive that led to the Armistice.

U.S. casualties:  11,500
British casualties:  5,600

German casualties:  Heavy    6,000 taken prisoner.

--DaCoot

WW I, August 8-Nov. 11 1918: The Somme Offensive

AUGUST 8 TO NOVEMBER 11, 1918  Belgium

The 27th and 30th Infantry Divisions hold the East Poperingh Line and fight the Battle of Vierstraat Ridge.

The 33rd and 80th Infantry Divisions also serve in the offensive.

U.S. casualties:

3,221 Killed in Action
12,428 Wounded in Action

--Cooter

World War I Causing "Hurry Up" Weddings

From the July 11, 2018, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"War days are responsible for many 'hurry up' weddings these days, many couples who planned to be married this summer rearranging their plans to meet Uncle Sam's calls."

Going to the Chapel, Then to the Front.   --Cooter

No More Time From Bell Telephone and Western Union in 1918

From the July 11, 2018, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"It is now up to you to see that your timepieces are in working order.  The Bell telephone company gave notices some time ago that they would no longer give the correct time to patrons.  Now the Western Union has sent out notice that it will no longer give the time of day.

"It is said that in some larger cities since the order of the telephone company, the calls have been so numerous for the Western Union that it has been swamped.  Therefor the new rule."

Well, They Should Use Their Smart Phones.  -Cooter

Sandy, the Fire Dog

From the July 11, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"Ever notice the small black dog that is continually following members of the fire department whenever they go out on the street for anything?

"'Sandy', who formerly belonged to the Shellaberger family, is a typical fireman, and no matter where he may be if he hears the alarm bells, he runs for the station as fast as possible."

A Dog's Life.  --Cooter

Chickens On the Lam in DeKalb in 1918

From the July 11, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"The DeKalb police department has again been bothered the last few days by calls regarding chickens, large ones and small ones.

"At this time of the year, it is absolutely necessary that all people keep chickens shut up within yards and coops to allow the growing of garden stuff."

A Chick Chick Here, A Chick Chick ....  --Cooter

A New Knights of Columbus Building in DeKalb in 1918

From the July 11, 2019, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"The work of constructing a new building for the DeKalb Knights of Columbus on the site on Lincoln Highway recently occupied by the Cook livery barn has been started, and a s rapidly as material and equipment can be hauled to the scene the work will progress."

"The Knights recently consumated a deal whereby they will become the owners of six feet of additional ground, now occupied by the building owned by B.C. Knowdle and used by Jack Cook as an office.  This old building will be torn down within the next few days and removed so that work may go forward without delay."

Of course, there would be a continuing decline in businesses of the livery nature as the automobile increased in popularity.

A New Building on Lincoln Highway in DeKalb.  --Cooter

The VFW Supporting the World War I Centennial Commission

From the April 2017, VFW Magazine.

April 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of the United States joining World War I.  More than 199,000 service members gave their lives in the short 18 months of involvement.  On the United States, the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission has many events planned and the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) is giving its complete support, according to National Commander Brian Duffy.

Public programs and events are planned all across the country.  They will kick off April 6, 2017, at the World War I Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, (the Liberty Memorial) a little more than a mile from the VFW National Headquarters.  It will culminate with the dedication of the National World War I Memorial  in Washington, D.C.'s Pershing Park.

--DaCoot

WW I Chronology, August 1918: The Vesle Defensive Sector

VESLE DEFENSIVE SECTOR

August 4 to 17

U.S. casualties:  623 Killed in Action, 3,425 Wounded in Action.

From Wikipedia.

Vesle refers to the French River.

During World War it was just behind the French-held front, but at times, particularly in the spring and summer of 1918, it was the scene of heavy.  It was part of the Second Battle of the Marne.

In early August the Vesle River front in early August led U.S. General Pershing to form the U.S. First Army there for upcoming action.

Cooter

German U-boat 1918 American Campaign-- Part 3: The Attack On Orleans, Mass.

A few of the U-cruisers also made long voyages south to the Azores and African coast, where they operated generally unmolested against shipping operating in the area.  But one exception was the U-154, which was torpedoed by British submarine HMS E35 off the coast of Portugal in May 1918.

In July 1918, there was an attack by the U-156 on Orleans, Massachusetts, off the coast of Cape Cod in which four barges and a tugboat were sunk.  The U-boat then fired on the town ineffectively for about an hour before it was driven off by two Navy planes.

It was the first attack involving a foreign power's artillery against U.S. soil since the Mexican War.

--Cooter

German U-boat American 1918 Campaign-- Part 2: A Follow Up Attack

Encouraged by the success of the U-151, the Germans sent the U-156, U-117 and a large Type 139, U-cruisers u-140 were dispatched on similar missions, but the U.S. Navy was now ready for them, and the hunting was not as good.  The U-156 was lost with all hands on the return voyage when it is thought she must have struck a mine off Bergen, Norway, on 15 September 1918.

Another trio of long range submarines, the U-155, U-152 and U-cruiser U-139 were making their way across the Atlantic Ocean in November 1918 when the war ended and they turned back.

Cooter

The German U-boat 1918 American Campaign-- Part 1

On 14 April 1918, the U-151 departed from Kiel on a mission to sing American shipping off the U.S. coast.  She arrived off the Chesapeake Bay on 21 May where she laid mines off the Delaware capes and cut the submerged telegraph cables connecting New York with Nova Scotia.

On 25 May, she stopped three U.S. schooners off Virginia, took their crews prisoner and sank the ships with gunfire.

BLACK SUNDAY

On 2 June 1918, a date some historians call "Black Sunday", the U-151 sank six ships and damaged two others off the coast of New Jersey in the space of a few hours.  The next day, the tanker Herbert L. Pratt struck a mine previously laid by the U-151, but was later salvaged.

In the seven sinkings a total of 13 died, all due to a capsized life boat.

The U-151 returned to Kiel 20 July 1918 after a 94-day cruise over 10,915 miles in which she sank 23 ships totalling 61,00 tons and had laid mines responsible for sinking another four vessels.

Good Hunting for the 151.  --DaCoot

German Blockade Runner Submarines-- Part 2: The Bremen Not So Lucky and the U-53

The Deutschland's sister submarine, the Bremen, was less fortunate and disappeared on its maiden voyage.

A less favorable impression was left by the U-53.  After refueling at Newport, Rhode Island,, Rose raided Allied shipping off the coast of Canada and the United States.  Although this was in international waters and the law was followed closely by the Germans, it was seen as an affront to the U.S., particularly when  U.S. warships were forced to stand aside while merchant ships nearby were sunk.

--Cooter