The Spanish Flu Outbreak of 1918-- Part 1: Why It Was Called the Spanish Flu

From the Dec. 31, 2020, Rock Valley Publishing  "Bizarre Belvidere" by Mindy Long.

Of even more interest in these days of our own virus.  Comparisons can definitely be made between the two, some 100 years apart.

The Spanish Flu of 1918 and several years afterwards, was an H1N1 virus that primarily affected children younger than 5 and younger adults ages 20-40 and older adults over 65.  The CDC estimates that one third of the world's population became infected and more than 50 million people worldwide died of it.

The Spanish Flu did not actually originate in Spain, but that country was one of the few world countries not affected by the World War I news blackout so cases there became front page news, especially after Spain's Kong Alfonso XIII died from it.  The flu became known as the Spanish Flu then.

The virus then was spread through the air in mucous droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking loudly, laughing and spitting, much like today's coronavirus.

--Cooter

U.S. Warships: USS Independence (LCS-2)-- Part 2

The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) is underway in the eastern Pacific.  

Littoral combat ships are high-speed, agile, shallow draft, mission-focused surface combatants designed for operations in littoral environment, yet fully capable of open ocean operations.

As part of the surface fleet, littoral combat ships have the ability to counter and outpace evolving threats independently or within a network of surface combatants (in other words, fleet action).

Okay, littoral means  relating to or situated on the shore of a sea or a lake.

--Cooter

U.S. Warships: USS Independence (LCS-2)-- Part 1: Just the Facts

From the 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar--  January.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:

BUILDER:  Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama

LAUNCHED:  26 April 2008, Commissioned 16 January 2010

DISPLACEMENT: 3,104 metric tons, full

LENGTH:   418 feet

BEAM:  104 feet

DRAFT:  14 feet

CREW:  43 core crew plus up tom 35 mission crew

ARMAMENT:  

AGM-114L  Hellfire missiles

One  BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm gun

Four  50 caliber guns (2 aft and 2 forward

One Raytheon SeaRam CIWS

AIRCRAFT CARRIED:

Two mh-60R/S Seahawk

MQ-8 Fire Scout

--Cooter

U.S. Warships: USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)

From the 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar.  December 2020.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) leads a formation of Carrier Strike Force (CSG) 5 ships as U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft and U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets pass overhead for a photo exercise during Valiant Shield 2018.

The biennial U.S. only, field-training exercise focuses on integration of joint training among the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

This is the seventh exercise in the Valiant Shield series, which began in 2006.

Quite the display of strength.

Go Navy, Marines and Air Force.  What, No Army?  --Cooter

Some More 2020 Deaths, October-December: Gibson, Morgan, Dinkins, Maradona, Prowse, and Johnson

DEATHS IN OCTOBER

BOB GIBSON, 84

Baseball Hall of Famer and dominating St. Louis Cardinals pitcher.  Died October 2.

JOE MORGAN, 77

Hall of Fame second baseman became the sparkplug of the dominant Cincinnati teams of the mid-1970s.  Died October 11.

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

DEATHS IN NOVEMBER

DAVID DINKINS, 93

Broke barriers as New York City's first black mayor.  Died November 23.

DIEGO MARADONA, 60

Argentine soccer great who scored the "Hand of God" goal in 1986 and led his country to that year's World Cup title.  Died November 25.

DAVE PROWSE, 85

British weight lifter-turned-actor who was the body of arch-villain Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" trilogy.  Died November 28.

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

DECEMBER

RAFER JOHNSON, 86

Won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy's assassin in 1968.  Died December 2.

Some More 2020 Deaths in August and September: Trump, Thompson, Rigg, Hibbert, Brown and Sayers

AUGUST

ROBERT TRUMP, 72

President Donald Trump's younger brother.  Died August 15.

JOHN THOMPSON, 78

Hall of Famer who became the first black coach to lead a team, Georgetown, to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.  Died August 30.

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

SEPTEMBER

DIANA RIGG, 82

British actress whose career stretched from the 1960s spy series  "The Avengers" to the fantasy juggernaut "Game of Thrones."  Died September 10.

TOOTS HIBBERT, 77

One of reggae's founders and most beloved stars.  Died September 11.

TIMOTHY RAY BROWN, 54

He made history as "the Berlin patient," the first known person to be cured of the HIV infection.  Died September 29.

GALE SAYERS, 77

Running back who entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame and whose fame extended beyond the field for decades thanks to a friendship he had with a dying Chicago Bears teammate.  Died September 23.

Some More 2020 Deaths in July: Downs, Riviera and Cain

 Deaths in July 2020.

JULY

HUGH DOWNS, 99

Genial broadcaster who became one of television's most welcome faces on news, game and talk shows.  Died July 1.

NAYA RIVIERA,  33

Singer and actor who played a gay cheerleader in the TV hit musical comedy "Glee,"  Died July 8.

HERMAN CAIN, 74

Former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a Godfather's Pizza chain.  Died July 30.

Some More 2020 Deaths: Shula, George, Christo, Unseld, Smith, Reiner

Deaths in May and June.

DON SHULA, 90

He won the most games of any NFL coach and led the Miami Dolphins to the only perfect season in league history.  Died May 4.

PHYLLLIS GEORGE, 70

Former Miss America who became a female sportscasting pioneer on CBS' "The NFL Today."  Died May 14.

CHRISTO, 84

He was known for ephemeral public art projects that often involved wrapping large structures in fabric.  Died May 31.

WES UNSELD, 74

The workmanlike Hall of Fame center who led Washington to its only NBA championship.  Died June 2.

JEAN KENNEDY SMITH, 92

Last surviving sibling of President John F. Kennedy.  Died June 2.

CARL REINER, 98

Writer, actor, director who rose to comedy's front ranks as creator of "The Dick Van Dyke Show."  Died June 29.

Some More 2020 Deaths: Marsalls, Graves, Prine, Drucker, Khan

DEATHS IN APRIL

ELLIS MARSALLS JR. 85

Jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical family.  Died April 1.

EARL GRAVES SR., 85

He championed black businesses as founder of the first black-owned magazine focusing on black entrepreneurs.  Died April 6.

JOHN PRINE, 73

The singer-songwriter who explored the heartbreaks, indignities and absurdities of everyday life.  April 7.

MORT DRUCKER, 91

The Mad magazine cartoonist who for decades lovingly spoofed politicians, celebrities and popular culture.  (He sure warped me a tad.)  Died April 9.

IRRFAN KHAN, 54

A veteran character actor in Bollywood movies.  Died April 29.

Some More 2020 Deaths: Neal, Lowery, Withers

MARCH 2020

FRED "CURLY" NEAL, 77

The dribbling wizard who entertained millions with the Harlem Globetrotters.  March 26.

THE REV. JOSEPH E. LOWERY, 98

A veteran civil rights leader who helped the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.  March 27

BILL WITHERS, 81

He wrote and sang songs in the 1970s including "Lean on Me," "Lovely Day" and "Ain't No Sunshine."  March 30.

United States Warships: USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)

From the Paralyzed Veterans of America 2021 calendar.   November 2020.  I wish I had known they had 2020 months on this as I would have opened it sooner than this month.

A photograph accompanies these ships each month.

USS BONHOMME RICHARD  (LHD-6)

The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) transits underneath the Golden Gate Bridge during the Parade of Ships as part of San Francisco Fleet Week (SFFW) 2018

SFFW is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine and Coast Guard teams and experience America's sea services.

During fleet week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of San Francisco and surrounding areas.

--CooterAway

Current United States Warships-- Part 2: The USS Billings (LCS-15)

From the October 2020 Paralyzed Veterans of America 2021 Calendar.

USS BILLINGS

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Billings  (LCS-15) departs from the Naval Station Mayport as Commander, U.S. 4th Fleet orders all U.S. Navy ships homeported in the area to sortie ahead of Hurricane Dorian, which is forecasted to bring high winds and heavy rain to the East Coast.

Ships are being directed to areas of the Atlantic where they are best postured for storm avoidance.

Hurricane Dorian formed August 24, 2019 and dissipated  September 10.

Amazing how much these LCS ships look like the old Confederate ironclads.  Perhaps we should start calling then CSS.

--Cooter

United States Warships: USS Bataan and USS Essex

Taken from the Paralyzed Veterans of America 2021 Calendar.  Each month

Inside page a picture of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5).

SEPTEMBER 2020

USS Essex  

The amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) underway off the coast of Mount Suribachi, on the island of Iwo Jima.  Suribachi is the historical site where Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal took his photo of the famous U.S. flag raising, which later became  one of the most famous photos of the 20th century, and an inspiration to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines fighting in the Pacific during WW II.

The Essex Forward Deployment Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) us participating in Balikatan 2006, an annual bilateral combined exercise with the Republic of the Philippines and U.S. military.

--Cooter

Writing About Fort Wool in My Saw the Elephant: Civil War Blog

In my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog, I have been writing about Fort Wool in Chesapeake Bay.

Built on an artificial island called the Rip Raps, its construction was a result of the ease that British forces were able to control the bay during the War of 1812.  It never approached the projected size and was essentially a summer home for a couple U.S. presidents.

It also played a role in the Civil War, World Wars I and II and was an example of several stages of American homeland defense.

Interesting reading.

--Cooter

William J. Worth, U.S. Soldier in Three Wars

I have been writing about William J. Worth in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.

He was an officer in the War of 1812, Second Seminole War and the Mexican War and at one time, a close friend of Winfield Scott.

After the Mexican War he was almost involved in a plot to kick the Spanish out of Cuba.

He is buried under the Worth Memorial in New York City.

Interesting Reading.  --Cooter

Some More 2020 Deaths: Wright, Johnson, Mubarak, Welch and McNally

FEBRUARY

MICKEY WRIGHT, 85

Golf great who won 13 majors among her 82 victories and gave the new LPGA a crucial lift.  Died Feb. 17.

KATHERINE JOHNSON, 101

A mathematician who calculated rocket trajectories and Earth orbits for NASA's early space missions and was later portrayed in the 2016 hit film "Hidden Figures."  Feb. 24.

HOSNI MUBARAK, 91

The Egyptian leader who was the autocratic face of stability in the Middle East for nearly 30 years being being forced from power.  Feb. 25.

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

MARCH

JACK WELCH, 84

He transformed General Electric Co. into a highly profitable multinational conglomerate.  March 1.

TERRENCE McNALLY, 81

One of America's great playwrights whose prolific career included winning Tony Awards for the plays "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and "Master Class" and the musicals "Ragtime" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman."  Died March 24

Some More 2020 Deaths-- Part 2: Heath, Jones, Lehrer and Clark

These are folks I didn't write about in my December list of deaths.

DEATHS IN JANUARY

JIMMY HEATH, 93

Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist.  Died Jan. 19

TERRY JONES, 77

Founding member of the really zany Monty Python group.  Died Jan. 21

JIM LEHRER, 85

Longtime host of the nightly PBS "News Hour."  Died Jan. 23.

MARY HIGGINS CLARK, 92

"Queen of Suspense" whose stories of women beating the odds made her one of the world's most popular writers..  Died Jan. 31.

Some More 2020 Deaths-- Part 1: Stern, Larsen and Peart

From the December 27, 2020, Chicago Tribune "World mourns losses in year of virus" by Bernard McGhee, AP.

I have already listed a lot of people who died last year in the last several posts from 2020.  These are additional ones.  Any music people in the list will have a more detailed mention in my Down Da Road I Go blog under Music Deaths.

This has the deaths listed by month.

JANUARY

DAVID STERN-  77

The basketball-loving lawyer who ran the NBA for 30 years as the longest-serving commissioner.  Jan. 1.

DON LARSEN, 90

Threw a perfect game in 1956 with the New York Yankees for the only no-hitter/perfect game in World Series history.  Jan. 1.

NEIL PEART, 67

Renowned drummer for the Canadian band Rush.  Jan. 7

This is the 15th Year of This Blog

This is the 15th year I've been writing this blog which grew out of my RoadDog's RoadLog blog by way of my Down Da Road I Go blog.

This marks my 5,805th post.

The first post was on December 14, 2007, and I had a total of 17 posts that first year since it was such a late start.

Like they say, ONE blog is one too many.  I could only hope to be that lucky.  But, I must admit that I enjoy doing the research and writing these posts.  And, this blog is good because I can write about anything else to do with history not applicable to my other blogs.

Now, That's Coverage.  --Cooter