Top Ten TV Theme Songs from the 1960s

From the December 16, 2022, ListVerse by Sally Morem.

This sure brought back the memories.  Go to the site for more information and a link to the video.  Sure brought back some memories for me.

10.  Mr. Ed   (1961-1955)

9.  I Dream of Jennie  (1965-1970)

8.  Get Smart  (1965-1970)

7.  Bewitched  (1964-1972)

6.  Gilligan's Island   (1964-1967)

5.  The Jetsons  (1962-1963)

4.  The Beverly Hillbillies   (1962-1971)

3.  The Addams Family   (1964-966)

2.  Hawaii  Five-O  (1968-1970)

1.  Mission Impossible  (1966-1973)

How many of you were like that bus scene on "Planes, Trains & Automobiles?"

--Cooter

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871-- Part 4: What Did George Train Say?

In 1870, there were 600 fires in the city, most started by  lamps overturning in barns.  During the first week of October the next year, more than 30 fires sprang up, the last one on the night of the 7th, wiping out four blocks and causing $750,000 in damages (nearly $1.7 million today).

It was on the same night that eccentric businessman George Francis Train spoke to a crowd at Farwell Hall at Clark and Madison streets.  

He offered a grim prophesy, saying, "This is the last public address that will be delivered within these walls!  A terrible calamity is impending over the city of Chicago!  More I cannot say, more I dare not utter."

He did not live in Chicago, being Boston born.  But he was aware that it had not rained in Chicago in a long time and that many of the city's wells were empty.  He could have observed buildings baked dry by the sun.  He would have known that the men of the fire department were exhausted.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune, operating from its new four story "fire-proof" building, had published all through the hot and dry smmer and fall, almost daily stories about fires throughout the country.  In early October, the paper declared, "We will continue to print these stories on conflagrations until the common council acts."

It was too late for that.  Chicago was a city ready to burn.  And burn it would.

CootFire

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871-- Part 3: A Real Building Mess

In the 50 rowdy years before the fire, the city grew from a remote Army post into the rail and shipping hub of America, a center of commerce and fast fortunes and deep poverty.

The area where the Catherine and Patrick O'Leary family lived was a densely populated section of the city.  It was, as one reporter described it, "a terra incognito to respectable Chicagoans," packed with "one-story frame dwellings, cow-stables, corncribs, sheds innumerable; every wretched building within four feet of its neighbor, and everything of wood."

Though there was an ordinance that forbade the use of uncovered lamps near hay or straw, Chicagoans paid it no heed, even though 90% of the city buildings were wooden.  Its sidewalks were wooden.  Its narrow streets were paved with wooden blocks.

"The officials of the city feared to enforce the law and therefore incur unpopularity with reckless moneyed interests which continued to build the city in dangerous fashion," wrote Edgar Lee Masters on his "The Tale of Chicago."  

"The menace of such buildings to the city was subordinated to the ambition to get richer."

--Cooter

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871-- Part 2: The Rapid Growth of Chicago

By the 1830s newcomers started arriving by stagecoach and wagon, burlap bags in hand, moneymaking dreams in their heads.  A boom was on.  By the 1870s, there were some 334,000 people in the city, three times as many now lived here as there were in 1860.

The growth was impressive and some people made fortunes.

But prosperity brought some dangers and disreputable types.  The Tribune, founded in 1847,  cried in the 1860s, "We are beset on every side by gangs of desperate villains."

Murders and robberies were commonplace (as they are today).  Corruption at all levels was rampant.

Most citizens lived in what was mostly a wood-structured frontier town, 6 miles long and three miles wide.  It was a town that contained extreme wealth and squalor, from the fashionable homes of Terrace Row on South Michigan Avenue to the sordid diversions and hovels of Conley's Patch a few blocks to the west.

--Cooter

There Were 600 Fires in Chicago the Year Before the Great Fire of 1871

From the August 29, 2021, Chicago Tribune "600 fires sprang up in Chicago the year before the Great Fire of 1871.  On the night before came this 'terrible' prediction" by Rick Kogan.

There is no way of knowing what was on people's minds in the hot and arid weeks before a certain cow is said to have kicked over a lantern and started the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. 

But, 150 years before that Jean Babtiste Point du Sable had not yet been born and only a few white men had ever even walked on the land that would eventually become Chicago.  The only fires here were those made by the Potawatomi, Sauk, Illinois, Algonquins, Iroquois and the Native American tribes that had been in the area for centuries.

As a matter of fact, for much of the 18th century, what would become Chicago was a place of warring tribes.  DuSable and his Potawatomi wife Kitihawa built their cabin on the banks of the Chicago River in the 1770s and a few other white settlers followed.

Most settled on the riverbanks near Fort Dearborn, built in the fall of 1803 and soon afterwards called "the best garrison in the country."

--CootSable

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 7: The Marshall Field's Elf

In 1946, Marshall Field's introduced Uncle Mistletoe, a "black-browed, winged sprite, wearing a cape and top hat," to compete with Montgomery Ward's popular creation, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Uncle Mistletoe lived with his wife, Aunt Holly, in Cozy Cloud Cottage on the eighth floor of the iconic department store.

Uncle Mistletoe's popularity soared with the 1948 debut of his holiday television program, "The Adventures of Uncle Mistletoe."

Uncle Mistletoe occasionally appears in ornament form on "The Great Tree" in Marshall Field's' (well, now Macy's) Walnut Room.

--CootUnc

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 6: About Those Marshall Field's Windows

Founded in 1852 as a dry goods business, Marshall Field's introduced its cherished holiday windows in 1897 with an enthralling toy display, a concept dreamed up by the store's official visual display manager, Arthur Frasier.  (And, of course, that toy window in "A Christmas Story.")

During World War II, the Field's design team began theming the windws starting with Clement Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas," so that they would tell a story as visitors strolled down State Street, from window to window.

Today, Macy's (who bought Field's) continues the tradition of holiday windows at the State Street store.

And, of course, there are all the decorations in the store, the Walnut Room and the giant Christmas tree.

--CootWindow

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 5: Hot, Cold and Snow

This entry is very appropriate for today.  This morning, December 23, 2022, it was -8 degrees outside here in Spring Grove, Illinois.  By 1 pm, it had "Warmed Up" to -2 degrees.  It is -5 degrees right now.

Christmas 1982 saw Chicago reach 64 degrees, setting a record for highest temperature on the holiday.

Just one year later in 1983, the coldest-ever temperature for the holiday was recorded at O'Hare at bone-chilling negative 17 degrees.

As for a very white Christmas Day, it happened in 1950 when Chicago received a whopping 5.1 inches of snow, setting a city snowfall record for that day.  Yesterday and this morning we got maybe two-tenths of an inch of the white stuff.

--CootHotColdSnow

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 4: 'Suzy Snowflake'

If you grew up in Chicago back in the 50s and 60s, you definitely can remember hearing and seeing this song on the TV.  It wouldn't be Christmas without her.

Suzy Sbowflake is a happy snowflake who sings and dances the joys of wintertime and taps on window panes across Chicago every holiday season.

Suzy first appeared in a song made famous by Rosemary Clooney in 1951.  WGN-TV has screened the stop-motion animated short "Suzy Snowflake" every holiday season since 1953.

Go to YouTube and check it out.

--CootFlake

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 3: The Christmas Ship

The three-masted schooner Rouse Simmons was a Chicago tradition every December, bringing a cargo of Christmas trees from up north to families across the city.

However, sadly, it sank off Two Rivers, Wisconsin, in a violent Lake Michigan storm  in November 1912.

The ill-fated eneterprise was run by Herman Schuenemann, known affectionately as "Captain Santa," who sold  his trees on the docks near Clark Street bridge.

When the ship left the dock at Thompson, Michigan, eyewitnesses noted that the schooner, packed with over 5,500 Christmas trees, looked like a floating forest.

The schooner's anchor was salvaged and now welcomes visitors at the entrance to the Milwaukee Yacht Club.

--Cooter

A Chicago Christmas-- Part 2: About Rudolph the You-Know What

These are Christmas stories connected to Chicago.

Robert L. May wanted to be a novelist but worked as a catalog writer at Montgomery Ward in Chicago.  Staring out his office window at downtown Chicago on a foggy day, May experienced his own lightbulb moment.

"Suddenly I had it!  A nose!  A bright red nose that would shine through the fog like a spotlight."

May considered naming the tiny reindeer with the red nose "Rollo" or "Reginald" but eventually settled on "Rudolph."

The Chicago-based department store printed more than two million copies of May's book "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1939.

The ninth and youngest of Santa's reindeer flew straight into the hearts of children across America using his luminous red nose to light the way.

--CootDeer

A Chicago Christmas: Merry Union Stockyards 'Hog Butcher for the World'

From the December 4, 2022, Chicago Tribune "Holiday Trivia:  Fun facts to make the season even brighter."

CATTLE CALL

Chicago's Union Stockyards opened on Christmas Day, 1865, ushering in by15 locomotive-pulled cattle cars.  

Situated on a once-swampy site that stretched from Halsted Street to Ashland Avenue and Pershing Road to 47th Street.

It took 1,000-plus men and 30 miles of ditches and drains to build the site that would bolster Chicago's already booming meatpacking industry and establish the city as "Hog Butcher for the World."

The 375-acre site would eventually accomodate over 75,000 hogs, 21,000 cattle and over 22,000 sheep in its 2,300 separate livestock pens.

--Cooter

'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 7: WJOB

WJOB RADIO STATION

6405 Olcott Avenue, Hammond

In 2023, WJOB will celebrate a century of being on the air's birthday.  Jean Shepherd began his broadcast career there before heading to to Cleveland, Cincinnati, and ultimately, New York City at WOR to earn acclaim.

The 1,000 watt transmitter and 400-foot tower behind the studio built in 1956 make the WJOB station easy to spot.

The original station studios were in Downtown Hammond at 402 Fayette Street at the intersection of Hohman Avenue.  Later, the studio moved to 449 State Street, where the young radio hopeful, Shepherd, gained experience doing sports broadcasts before the station and tower finally settled at the Olcott Avenue location.

--CootBBGun

'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 6: Downtown Hammond

DOWNTOWN HAMMOND

5206 Hohman Avenue

While Jean Shepherd changed the name of his hometown of Hammond to fictional "Hohman, Indiana," in his published works, it is easy to see how he dreamed up that name, given the name of Downtown Hammond's primary stretch of road is Hohman.

Now long gone, the Cam Lan restaurant once stood at 5256 Hohman Avenue, and is depicted in the film's final Christmas dinner scene.

Just a block away, also on Hohman, is where Goldblatt's Department Store stood until 1993, the site of the wishful young Shepherd's now infamous moment giving his gift wish list to the grumpy Santa while sitting on his lap.

Though the store no longer exists, you can still see Goldblatt's iconic clock focal point in the lobby of the Hammond Public Library, just a few blocks away at 564 State Street in Hammond.

You'll Still Put Your Eye Out Kid!  --Cooter

'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 5: Warren G. Harding Elementary and Miss Shields

WARREN G. HARDING ELEMENTARY

3211 165th Street, Hammond.

The original wood-framed school building constructed in 1927 where Jean Shepherd attended from 1928-1933 was demolished in 1948 to make way for a new school, and even that building was torn down to make way for a more modern elementary school which opened in 2006.

This new school still bears the name the name of the 29th president, and, of course, there's a flagpole out in the schoolyard.

During a March 10, 1982, guest appearance on the late-night talk show of fellow famous Hoosier David Letterman, Shepherd said his elementary school "was named after the worst president in history."

HOME OF SHEPHERD'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER MISS SHIELDS

51 Lawndale Street, Hammond.

Shepherd made many references to his teacher growing up, Miss Ruth Shields, in his books and broadcasts, and she plays a key character in "A Christmas Story."

--CootPutYourEyeOut.

'A Christmas Story's' Northwest Indiana Connection-- Part 4: About Flick and Schwart's Houses

SHEPHERD'S PAL SCHWARTZ'S CHILDHOOD HOUSE

6810 Arizona Avenue, Hammond.  

While Ralphie's long-suffering friend in the story is named Scott Schwartz, the real life counterpart from Jean Shepherd's youth was Paul Schwartz, who lives just a few blocks away.

In the movie, Schwartz is taunted by bullies and, though innocent, is punished by his mother after he  is blamed for teaching Ralphie the "big one" of swear words.

SHEPHERD'S OTHER PAL FLICK'S CHILDHOOD HOME

3024 Cleveland Street, Hammond.  

Classmate Jack Flickinger lived just down the street from Shepherd and is forever associated with accepting the triple-dog dare to stick his tongue on a frozen flagpole in the schoolyard.  Jack's father owned a local tavern in Hammond called  Flick's Tap.

--CootTripleDogDare

81st Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Herbert Jacobson-- Part 6

Brad McDonald and several relatives met with experts a couple times through the years and donated DNA samples to help with the investigation to identify his uncle, Herbert Jacobson.

In 2018, he was told, "We're going to do our best, but chances are we aren't going to be able to identify then [the remains] in your time and maybe into your children's time."

"Less than a year later, I got a phone call saying, 'We got 'em,' " Brad McDonald remembered.  "I was just blown away.  I really was.  We are just extremely grateful to the Navy and all the agencies working on this.  ...They did this painstaking process, and it was amazing."

Continued in my Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog.

'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 3: His House

"While over the years, Shepherd earned a reputation for criticizing Hammond and his hometown roots, he still always remembered his connection to northwest Indiana," said Nick Mantis, who is negotiating with networks about the first airing rights to his documentary "Shep."

"Shepherd was once quoted as saying that when you really loved something enough, then you can joke about it as a form of appreciation.

In the next several posts the old haunts of Jean Shepherd which served as inspirations for the movie will be listed.

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

SHEPHERD'S CHILDHOOD HOUSE

2907 Cleveland Street, Hammond.  A large privacy hedge nearly obscures that famous open porch and the living room window where Shepherd, as a boy, daydreamed of the adventures that awaited with his adult career in writing and broadcast.

While the families' last name in the movie is changed to Parker, it's still a nod to Shepherd, whose middle name is Parker.

--CootStory

This Date in the American Revolution: Battles of White Marsh, Great Bridge, Great Canebreak and Quebec and the Boston Tea Party

From the 2022 American Battlefield Trust December calendar.

DECEMBER 5-7, 1776

**  Battle of White Marsh, Pennsylvania

DECEMBER 9, 1775

**  The Battle of Great Bridge, Virginia.

DECEMBER 16, 1773

**  The Boston Tea Party

DECEMBER 22, 1775

**  Battle of Great Canebreak, South Carolina

DECEMBER 30-JANUARY  1, 1775

**  The Battle of Quebec

--Cooter

'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 2: 'Go to the End of the Line, Boys'

A number of key locations and the family homes of characters depicted in "A Chrustmas Story," as adapted from Jean Shepherd's 1966 published short story, "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash," are often-overlooked residential landmarks in Hammond's established neighborhoods.

"Shepherd loved the irony that the film was shot in Cleveland and he had grown up on Cleveland Street in Hammond," said Hammond filmmker Nick Mantis, who produced and directed the documentary "Shep," about Jean Shepherd found at www-.shepherddocumentary.com.

"Shepherd spent time on the film set, since he has a small cameo in the film as the grouchy man waiting in line with his children to see Santa at the department store.  It's Shep who points to Ralphie and Randy and tells them to go to the back of the line."

While Bob Clark, as the film's director, did not get his wish to film "A Christmas Story" in Hammond, he did win his battle with studio brass to hire Shepherd to lend his distinctive voice for the film's narration.

--Cooter

'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 1

Well, 'tis the season of my favorite Christmas movie of all time, "A Christmas Story" and, gosh, TBS is even showing it a couple times tonight ahead of its 24-hour tradional marathon starting Christmas Eve.  I'll try to watch some of it in between all the college football conference chanpionship games.

From the December 24, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Indiana sites a reminder of 'A Christmas Story' " by Philip Potempa.

Cleveland, Ohio, enjoys a holiday claim-to-fame connection with "A Christmas Story," since the 1983 movie was filmed there on location.

However, northwest Indiana still has better bragging rights, since the teller of BB guns, bullies and parental soap-in-mouth punishment, Jean Shepherd, scribe and radio broadcaster, fashioned the story and memorable characters from his own youth on Cleveland Street in Hammond, Indiana.

Ther movie's late director Bob Clark acknowledged in interviews that it was his preference to shoot the film in Shepgerd's all-too-familiar northwest Indiana.  However, studio location scouts preferred the landscape of Cleveland, even though Shepherd's actual childhood home still stands at 2907 Cleveland Street in Hammond.

Remember What Might Happen To Your Eyesight With the Soap Treatment.   --CootStory

Even Back Then, 1922, 100 Years Ago: At the Time It Seemed Like the Thing to Do

From the November  29, 2022, MidWeek "Looking Back."  DeKalb County, Illinois.

"Six men, none of them believed to be over  35 years of age,  riding in a stolen Jordan sedan, crashed into a standing freight train at the Spring Valley tracks on the Lincoln Highway this morning at 4:30.  Three of the men were injured and were taken to the hospital, one was returned to jail with the other fellow who was too drunk to get hurt.

"The other two prisoners were under guard at the Glidden Memorial hospital.  One of the injured suffered a broken arm and a piece of the windshield jammed into his jawbone.  The other had his hand badly lacerated and required several stitches.

"The third injured man was cut  about thenhead and after being given surgical attention at the hospital, was returned to the police station.

"The Jordan sedan was badly wrecked, and the entire front end of thye machine was badly broken, although the engine would run."

Too Drunk to Get Hurt?

Boys Will Be Boys?  --Cooter

Hans Johnsen, USN, Medal of Honor for Action on USS Winslow

From Wikipedia.

HANS JOHNSEN

(January 3, 1865 - June 17, 1920)

Chief machinist serving in the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War where he received a Medal of Honor for bravery.

He was born in Sandnes,  Norway, and fought in the Spanish-American War on board the torpedo boat USS Winslow at the Battle of Cardenas.  Along with the Medal of Honor, he was warranted as a gunner on June 27, 1898, and promoted to chief gunner on June 27, 1904.

During World War I, he received a temporary promotion to lieutenant on July  1, 1918.

He died June 17, 1920, and is buried in Bayview-New York Cemetery in Jersey City, New Jersey.

George F. Brady, USN-- Part 2: Committed Suicide and Gravestone Didn't List His Medal of Honor

In addition to the Medal of Honor, he was promoted to the warrant officer rank of Gunner on June 27, 1898.  His first assignment at the new rank was on the armored cruiser USS New York (ACR-2).  Then, he was transferred to Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island, on 21 November 1900.

His old ship, the USS Winslow, on which he won his Medal of Honor, was stationed there from 1901 to 1904, so it is likely he was back on his old ship.

Sadly, he committed suicide while serving on the USS Monongahela at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, on November 6, 1903.  He stated shortly before his suicide that "the pain was unbearable", but it is unclear if his pain was physical or emotional.

He was buried in the Island Cemetery in Newport, Rhode Island, where his wife and children lived.  As his tombstone did not indicate that he had received the Medal of Honor, this fact was not discovered until January 20 when Charles Mogayzel of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was able to find Brady's gravesite.

Representatives of the U.S. Navy and local veterans  organizations dedicated a Medal of Honor grave marker on Brady's grave on Memorial Day later that year.

His name in records pertaining to the Medal of Honor list his name as "George F. Brady" and the name on his tombstone is "George P. Brady."  The reason for this discrepancy is probably that his name was mis-transcribed when his Medal of Honor citation was written.

--Cooter

Sons of the American Revolution Honors American Battlefield Trust

From the Summer 2022 Hallowed Ground magazine.

At its spring meeting,the National Society Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), in unanimous acclamation, named the American Battlefield Trust the 2022 recipient of its Distinguished Patriotic Leadership Award, and recognizing both the Trust's land preservation and educational initiatives.

Of course, the American Battlefield Trust originally was the Civil War Battlefield Trust and only targetting preservation of Civil War battlefields, but has recently expanded its preservation efforts to the American Revolution and the War of 1812 battlefields.

The NSSAR has been a strong supporter of the Trust's work since its earliest forays into the protection of Revolutionary War battle sites.  Its advocacy meaningly advanced Trust preservation efforts at Princeton and together the two organizations have worked to protect 2,500 additional acres to mark the Revolutionary War's 250th anniversary, the semiquincentennial.

--Cooter

Mount Diablo Relit for Veterans Day-- Part 3

Continued from my Tattooed on Your Soul: WW II and Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blogs.

"When the Beacon light is turned on, that's a tribute to those individuals who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor," stated  Pearl Harbor Survivor Earl "Chuck" Kohler.

The Beacon is owned by California State Parks, but maintained by Save Mount Diablo, is one of the last remaining working beacons from the transcontinental string of guides.

However, its future remained undertain until the beacon's restoration in 2013,  when California Assembly Member Joan Buchanan wrote and helped pass legislation to assist the nonprofit in achieving their restoration goal.

The DPAA Identifies Five MIA/POW Service Members from the Korean War and World War II

From the Novemeber 2, 2022, Stars and Stripes.

The Defense Department's  Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has recently identified five missing servicemen, three from Pearl Harbor in World War II and two from the Korean War.

Both Korean War soldiers  -- Sgt.  Howard Malcom, 23, and Sgt.  Allen Tuttle, 23--  had been unaccounted for since December 1950 and died in the same POW camp, according to the DPAA.

Malcom, who died in  August 1951, was accounted for on October  25.

Tuttle, who died  in March 1951,  was identified  on October 26.

You can go to my Tattooed on Your Soul:  World War II blog to read about the Pearl Harbor sailors who were identified.

George F. Brady, USN: Spanish-American War Medal of Honor Recipient on USS Winslow

From Wikipedia.

GEORGE F. BRADY

(September 7, 1867 to November 6, 1903)

Born in Ireland and enlisted in U.S. Navy  at age 17 on November 30, 1884.  He had risen to the rank of  Chief Gunner's Mate by the time of the Spanish-American War.

He was aboard the torpedo boat USS Winslow during the Battle of Cardenas, Cuba, on May 11, 1898.  During the battle, the Winslow was badly damaged by Spanish gunfire  Brady made attempts to  repair the ship's steering gear and helped maintain its watertight integrity to prevent it from sinking.  He also took command of the ship after its commander was wounded and taken off it.   

For his heriosm, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by the Navy on September  3, 1899.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)-- Part 4: Post War Service

The Winslow was returned to full commission by 30 June 1901 and assigned to the Naval Torpedo Statopn at  Newport, spending then next  three years training naval officers and enlisted men the techniques of torpedo firing and helping them polish their skills in gunnery and shopboard engineering.

Most likely, she also participated in some work to improve the "automotive" torpedo.

Not much is known as to her activities between July 1904 and February 1906, but probably spent the majority of it in reserve or out of commission on New York.  The Winslow was recommissioned at New York Navy Yard on 16 February 1906 and steamed south to Norfolk where she was placed in the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla.

Sometime in 1909, she was transferred to Charleston, S.C., but remained in reserve.

On 1 June 1909, she was turned over to the Massachusetts Naval Militia at Charlestown and later moved north to Boston where she served as a school ship for volunteer seaman for a local  naval militia until the following  November.  

On 2 November 1909, the Massachusetts Naval Militia returned the Winslow to the Navy and she was in Boston Navy Yard in reserve until the summer of 1010.  She was then placed out of commission at Boston and sold  in 1911.

Sometime around October 1923, the Winslow, along  with other decommissioned vessels, was scuttled near Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, Long Island to form a breakwater.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)-- Part 3: One Battered Ship

Badly damaged, the Winslow was towed clear of the action.  Her commanding officer and a number of other in the crew were wounded.  

Lt. Bernadou saw to it that the wounded and dead were transferred to the Hudson and then left the ship himself, turning command over to Chief Gunner's Mate  George F. Brady, who, along with Chief Gunner's Mate  Hans Johnsen and Chief Machinist  Thomas C. Cooney-- later received Medals of Honor and was promoted to warrant officer.

The day following the engagement, the Winslow arrived at Key West for temporary repairs there and in Mobile, Alabama.  She returned to Key West for ten days before sailing  noth on 16 August.  After brief stops at Port Royal, S.C., and Norfolk, the Winslow reached NewYork on 27 August.  She was placed out of commission at the New York Navy Yard on 7 September 1898 to begin more extensive repairs.  This was one battered ship.

Except for a brief trip to Philadelphia in mid-October, the Winslow remained inactive until early 1901.  She then was in a decommissioned status in New York and later at Norfolk Navy Yard where she was listed as in reserve.

--Cooter

This Month in the American Revolution

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

NOVEMBER 13, 1775

**  Americans take Montreal

NOVEMBER 16, 1776

**  Battle of Fort Washington, New York.

NOVEMBER 16, 1777

**  British capture Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania.

NOVEMBER 19-21, 1775

**  Siege of Ninety Six, South Carolina.

NOVEMBER 20, 1776

**  British capture Fort Lee, New Jersey.

NOVEMBER 25, 1783

**  British evacuate New York City.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)-- Part 2: The Battle of Cardenas

As the United States and Spain got closer to war after the USS Maine blew up mysteriously in Havana Harbor, the Winslow went to Key West to be closer to where the action was expected to happen.  After war was declared, the Winslow patrolled the  north coast of Cuba near Havana, Cardenas and Mantanzas.

On 8 May 1898, she forced three Spanish gunboats back into Cardenas Harbor.   On 11 May, the Winslow, USRC Hudson and USS Wilmington steamed into Cardenas Harbor looking for those three Spanish gunboats.  A battle erupted.

The Spanish concentrated their fire on the Winslow, which was the smallest of the three American ships, and she soon started getting hit.  Shots all but disabled the Winslow.  The other two American ships joined the battle and  soon put the Spanish warship out of action.

A request went out to be towed to safety.  As the Hudson was towing the Winslow, one last Spanish shot struck the torpedo boat near her starboard gun and killed Ensign Worth Bagley.  He was the first and only naval officer killed in action in the war.

In memory of his sacrifice and devotion, four ships in the U.S. Navy have carried his name.

There were temporary repairs at Key West and Mobile before sailing to New York Navy Yard, put out of commission and then extensive repairs were carried out.

--Cooter

USS Winslow (TB-5)

From Wikipedia.

The USS Winslow was noted for its participation in the 1st and 2nd Battles of Cardenas during the Spanish-American War.

It  and launched 8 May 1897.was laid down at Baltimore, Maryland, and commissioned 29 December of that year with Lieutenant John B. Bernadou in command.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  161 feet 

Beam:  16 feet

Speed:  25 knots

Complement:  20 officers and enlisted

Armament:  

three 1-pounder guns

three 18-inch torpedo tubes

--Cooter

A Civil War Connection with the USS Winslow

In the last post, I wrote that Ensign Worth Bagley, brother of David Bagley, USN, was the only naval officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War when his ship, the torpedo boat USS Winslow was hit by a shell from a Spanish warship.

The USS Winslow (TB-5) was named after the famed CivilWar naval officer John Ancrum Winslow who commanded the USS Kearsarge when it sank the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama.

There was also a World War I destroyer, the USS Winslow (DD--53), an O'Brien-class destroyer which was decommissioned in 1922.

The destroyer USS Winslow  (DD-359), a Porter-class destroyer commissioned in 1937 that served in World War II  It was named for John Ancrum Winslow and his second cousin, Admiral Cameron Winslow.

Cameron Winslow served in the Spanish-American War and World War I.

Looks like I'll have to be doing some RoadTrippin' Through History.

--Cooter

Ensign Worth Bagley, USN (Brother of David Bagley)

From Wikipedia.

Ensign Worth Bagley (April 6, 1774-May 11, 1898) was the only naval officer killed in action in the Spanish-American War.  He is also the brother of David Bagley who rose to the rank of admiral and commanded the USS Jacob Jones, sunk in WW I.

He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1895.  After serving two years on the USS Montgomery (C-9), USS Texas and USS Maine, he was made ensign on July 1, 1897.  In November he was appointed inspector of the new torpedo boat USS Winslow. and when she was commissioned on  December 28, he was assigned the ship's executive officer under Lt.  John Baptiste Bernadou.

In April 1898, the Winslow was with the fleet when it mobilized for action in Cuba  On the morning of May 11 the Winslow went with the USRC Hudson and USS Wilmington (PG-8) to force the entrance to the harbor of Cardenas.

She was fired upon by the Spanish gunboat Antonio Lopez and immediately there was a general engagement.  The Winslow was soon disabled and with difficulty was hauled out of range of Spanish guns by the  Hudson.

Just as the engagement ended, Ensign Bagley and four sailors were killed by a shell.

--Cooter

Adm. David W. Bagley

From Find A Grave.

ADM DAVID WORTH BAGLEY

BIRTH:  8 Jan 1883, Raleigh, North Carolina

DEATH:  24 May 1960, San Diego, California

BURIAL:  Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

His military years spanned World War I and World War II.  He served in command positions  in the Pacific Theater during WW II.

He was the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War.

Adm. David Bagley-- Part 7: A Long Career and Namesakes

He was releived of all duties on March 12, 1946, and placed on the retired list with the rank of admiral on April 7, 1947 after 42 years of continuous service.  Admiral Bagley died at  the Naval Hospital, San Diego, California, on May 24, 1960.

Admiral Bagley is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

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

The first three vessels named USS Bagley:  Torpedo Boat  No. 24, DD-185 and DD--386 were named for  Ensign Worth Bailey (the only naval officer killed in action in the Spanish-American War).  The fourth, DE-1069, was named for both  Worth Bagley and his brother, Admiral David W. Bagley.

Bagley Amphitheater at Barbers Point, Hawaii, was completed 1 April 1945 with seating capacity for 7,200.  

--Cooter

Adm. David W. Bagley-- Part 6: Service During WW II

On April 4, 1942, Rear Admiral Bagley relieved Rear Admiral Claude C. Bloch as Commandant, 14th Naval District (headquartered at Pearl Harbor) and  Commander Hawaiian Sea Frontier.  He served in that capacity until January 1943.  On February 1,  he assumed command of the Western Sea Frontier  (Sea Defense of the West Coast of the United States), and on March 30, 1943, had the duty of Commandant 11th Naval District (Great Lakes Training Facility in Illinois).

He held the 11th Naval District position until January 1944 and continued to head the Western Sea Frontier until the following fall.

Promoted to  vice admiral to date from February 1, 1944, he was relieved of that duty on November 17, 1944.  Eleven days later, he returned to Oahu and resumed duty as Commandant 14th Naval District and served in that position until July 25, 1945.

On August 20, he reported for duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and served on the International Defense Board, the United States-Mexican Defense  Commission and the Permanent Joint Board of Defense.

Quite a Busy Time for the Admiral.  --Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley-- Part 5: Commander Battleship Division 2, Based in Pearl Harbor

In May 1935,orders were sent to Bagley in Newport, Rhode Island, to attend the Naval War College.  Upon completing his senior course, he remained there as a staff member.  Next came duty as Commander, Destroyer Squadron 20, Destroyers, Scouting Fleet.  

From July 1937 to May 1938, he served as Commander, Minecraft, Battle Force.  While in that position, he was promoted to flag rank, to date from April 1, 1938.  In May of that year, now Rear Admiral David W. Bagley, began a 32-month tour of duty as Commandant, Mare Island Navy Yard on the West Coast.

At the beginning of 1941, he broke his flag on the USS Tennessee (BB-43), as Commander, Battleship Division 2.  And they were based at a little-known to many Americans, island base  out in the Pacific Ocean called Pearl Harbor.

--Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley-- Part 4: Interwar Service

Bagley returned to the United States after the sinking of the Jacob Jones and become the commander of the new destroyer USS Lea (DD-118) then under construction at Philadelphia Navy Yard and put her into commission on October 2, 1918 and commanded her until January1919 when he became the American port officer  at Rotterdam, Netherlands, with the additional duty as naval attache in the American legation at The Hague.

INTERWAR YEARS

Bagley had attache and shore duty until March 1922 when he was given command of the USS Reno (DD-303, and commander of Destroyer Division 32, Pacific Fleet.  In 1924, he had another two-year stint at the Naval Academy.

From there, in 1926, he became chief of staff to the Commander, Naval Forces, Europe

He returned to sea in December  1931 as commanding officer of the heavy cruiser USS Pensacola (CA-24) then serving on the Atlantic  with Cruiser Division 4,  Scouting Fleet untill 1933 when he went to Washington, D.C. for duty at the Bureau of Navigation and later became assistant bureau chief.

--Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley-- Part 3: World War I and the Sinking of the USS Jacob Jones

During the first month of 1917, Bagley  moved from the command of the USS Drayton (DD-23) to the USS Jacob Jones (DD-61).  By May 1917, his ship was conducting anti-submarine patols and convoy escort duties in the western approaches to the British Islands.  Later, his area of operations widened to include the Irish Sea and English Channel.

In December 6, 1917, the Jacob Jones left Brest Harbor, France,   At about 1621 that afternoon, the watch spotted a torpedo wake.  The destroyer tried to avoid it, but it struck the ship's starboard side and pierced the fuel oil tank.

Though Bagley and his crew worked frantically to save the ship, it went down within eight minutes, carrying 64 out of 99 crewmen with it.  Bagley and 37 others made it into the icy waters in boats and rafts. Thanks to the humanitarian effort by the German U-boat skipper Hans Rose, who radioed their location to Queenstown, they were picked up by December 8.

Bagley was given the Navy Distinguished Service Cross for his role.

--Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley-- Part 2: Quite the Varied Naval Career

He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 8, 1883, and attended North Carolina State College for two years before entering the United States Naval Academy in 1900 and graduating February  4, 1904.  He went to sea on the USS Missouri (BB-11).

In 1905, Passed Midshipman Bagley was transferred to the  Asiatic Fleet and assigned to the gunboat USS Concord and later to the USS  West Virginia (ACR-5).  He was commissioned an ensign while on the Concord.  In 1908, he reported to the USS Rhode Island (BB-17) of the Atlantic Fleet and made the  voyage around the world as part of the Great White Fleet

In April 1909, he left the Rhode Island and spent a year with the General Electric Company in New York for a year of instruction.  After this came service on the staffs of the Atlantic and Asiatic fleets.  In 1914, he was a lieutenant on the USS Michigan (BB-27) in the Atlantic Fleet.

He got his first command in September 1915 when he took over the USS Drayton (DD-23).

--Cooter

Admiral David W. Bagley, USN (Commander of the USS Jacob Jones)-- Part 1: From a Naval Family

He was the commander of the USS Jacob Jones  (DD-61) which was sunk by a German U-boat in World War I.  I have been writing about this ship in the last several blogs.  The wreck of this ship has just recently been found.

From Wikipedia.

DAVID WORTH BAGLEY

(January 8, 1883 to May 24, 1960)

Was an admiral in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  (I will be writing about him in this blog and not my World War II one because of his command of the Jacob Jones.)

He was the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only  United States Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War and the father of admirals  David H. Bagley and Worth H. Bagley.  So this is another one of those big-time Navy families.

His father, William Henry Bagley, was a Confederate officer from North Carolina.

Looks like I'll have to do some more RoadTrippin' Through History with this family.

--Cooter

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 7: Honors Awarded and Wreck Found

Several men were recognized for their actions in the aftermath of the torpedo attack. Stanton F. Kalk (posthumously) and Commander David W. Bagley received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

Others honored included  Chief Boatswain's Mate Harry Gibson (postumously) and Chief Electrician's Mate L. J. Kelly, who both received the Navy Cross.

Richards,  Scott and Chief Boatswain's Mate  Charles Charlesworth all received letters of commendation.

The German commander, Hans Rose was awarded the Pour le Merite and Ritterkreuz des Hohenzollerschen Hausordens mit Schwertem for this and other achievements during the war.

WRECK LOCATED

On August 11, 2022, British  deep sea divers located the wreck of the Jacob Jones off the coast of  the Isles of Scilly at a depth of 377 feet.  Numerous artifacts were  located, including the ship's bell.

AsI mentioned before, there was also a USS Jacob Jones (DD-245) that was also sunk by a U-boat in World War II.  I will eventually write about it in my Tattooed on Your Soul:  World War II blog

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 6: A Humanitarian Gesture and Rescue

The destroyer's commander, David W. Bagley,  noted in his official account of the sinking, that about 30 minutes after the Jacob Jones sank,  the German U-boat U-53, commanded by Hans Rose, surfaced about two to three miles from the rafts and took one of the American sailors on board.  According to the Uboat.net site, the Germans took on board two badly injured American sailors.

In addition, Hans Rose radioed the American base at Queenstown with the approximate  coordinates of the sinking before departing the area.  That was a very nice thing to do.

Bagley, unaware of Hans Rose's humanitarian  gesture,left most of the food, water and medical supplies with Lieutenant Commander John W. Richards, whom he left in charge of the rafts.   Then he, the Jacob Jones' executive officer, Norman Scott and four crewmen and rowed to the nearby Isles of  Scilly for aid.  

At 13:00 on 7 December, they were spotted by a British patrol vessel just six nautical miles from their destination.  They were relieved to hear that the British sloop HMS Camellia had found and taken aboard most of the Jones' survivors earlier that morning.  In addition, a small group had also been rescued on the night of the sinking by the American steamer Catalina.

--Cooter

Battlefield Preservation at Saratoga, New York

From the October 2022 American Battlefield Trust calendar.

SARATOGA, NEW YORK

26 acres saved

The American game-changing victory at Saratoga, New York, on October 7 (today), 1777, marked the end of British General John Burgoyne's efforts to control the Hudson River Valley and the beginning of a Franco-American alliance, which brought the American Revolution to a global stage.

The American Battlefield Trust, along with the Saratoga National Historical Park, has saved 26 acres at the upstate New York battlefield and continues to work with American Veteran Archaeology Recovery to coordinate archaeological endeavors in the storied terrain.

As I said before, I am very glad that the former Civil War Trust has expanded its efforts to include the two other wars fought on American soil, the American Revolution and the War of 1812.

--Cooter

 

This Month in the American Revolution: Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act and First Continental Congress, Battle of Saratoga and Surrender at Yorktown

From the American Battlefield Trust.

OCTOBER 7, 1763

**   Proclamation of 1763.  King George III banned American colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains.

OCTOBER 7-23, 1765

**  Stamp Act Congress meets in Philadelphia to discuss  the crisis.

SEPTEMBER  5 -- OCTOBER 26, 1774

**  The First Continental Congress meets at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia.

OCTOBER 7, 1777

**  Battle of Saratoga, New York, concludes with a major American victory.

OCTOBER 19, 1781

**  British General Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, Virginia. 

--Cooter

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 5: Sank in Eight Minutes

The destroyer's commander, David W. Bagley, ordered all life boats launched.  As the ship sank, her bow raisd in the air almost vertically before she sank.  At this point, the armed depth charges near the stern began to explode, killing men unable to escape the destroyer and stunning many in the water.

The Jacob Jones was the first American destroyer ever lost to enemy action. It sank in just eight minutes after being hit by the torpedo.  Two officers and 64 men of the crew died out its 99 man complement.

Several of the crew, including Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Stanton F. Klak, the officer-of-the-deck, when the torpedo struck, began to get men out of the water and into life rafts.  He was working in the cold North Atlantic waters and was striving to equalize  the loads on the various rafts.  Sadly, he died  of exhaustion and exposure.

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 4: The Sinking

In early December, the Jacob Jones helped escort a convoy to Brest, France, with five other Queenstown-based destroyers.  The last to depart from Brest and return to Ireland was the Jones and was steaming alone along a zig-zag pattern when she was spotted by  the German submarine U-53.  At 16:20 on December 6, 1917,  lookouts on the American ship spotted a torpedo 800 yards distant headed for the ship's starboard side.

Despite having her rudder put hard left and emergency speed rung up, the Jones was unable to move out of the way and the torpedo struck her rudder.  Even though the depth charges did not explode, the ship went adrift.  The jolt had knocked out the power, so the destroyer was unable to  send a distress signal since she was steaming alone.

No other ship was present that would know of the Jacob Jones' predicament.

--Cooter

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 3: Rescuing Survivors

On 8 July 1917, the Jones rescued 44 survivors from the Valetta, torpedoed by the U- 87.  While escorting the British steamship Dafila two weeks later, lookouts on the USS  Jacob Jones spotted a periscope, but before it could attack, the U-45 torpedoed and sank the steamship.  The Jones rescued 26 of the 29 crew members before it sank.

On 19 October the British armed merchant cruiser Orama and ten destroyers, including the Jacob Jones were escorting an eastbound convoy of twenty steamers, when the U-62 surfaced in the midst of the group.  The submarine launched its only remaining torpedo and sank the Orama.  The Jones then rescued 309 survivors.

--Cooter

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 2: Early War Activity

The Jacob Jones was launched 29 May, 1915  by sponsor  Mrs. Jerome  Parker Crittenden, a great-granddaughter of the ship's namesake Commodore Jacob Jones (1768-1815), a U.S. naval officer during the War of 1812.

The USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) was commissioned  on 10 November 1916 under the command of Lieutenant Commander  William S. Pye.  He is perhaps best-known for his remark on December 6, 1941:  "The Japanese will not go to war with the United States.  We are too big, too powerful, and too strong."

Following commission, the Jones conducted training exercises off the New England coast then entered Philadelphia Navy Yard for repairs.

On 3 February 1917, the day the United States broke diplomatic relations with Germany, the Jones  nearly sank in the navy yard.  Contemporary reports said it might have been an act of sabotage.  Upon the U.S. entry into the war on  6 April 1917, the ship patrolled off  the coast of Virginia.

She and a group of destroyers sailed from Boston for Europe on  7 May and arrived at  Queenstown, Ireland, on 17 May.

The Jacob Jones' duties involved patrolling and escorting convoys in the Irish Sea and occasionally rescuing crews of sunken ships.

--Cooter

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)

From Wikipedia.

Was a Tucker-class destroyer and first U.S. warship named for Jacob Nicholas Jones (there were two others).

It was laid down 4 August 1914, launched  19 May 1915 and commissioned  10 February 1916.

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

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

LENGTH:  315 feet 3 inches

BEAM:  30 feet 6 inches

DRAFT:  9 feet 8 inches

 SPEED:  30 knots

COMPLEMENT:  99 officers and enlisted

ARMAMENT:

Four 4-inch guns

Eight 21-inch torpedo tubes

--Cooter

Wreck of First U.S. Destroyer Lost to Enemy Action Found: The USS Jacob Jones

From the August 19, 2022, Chicago Tribune "WW I Navy destroyer."

The wreck of the first U.S. Navy destroyer lost to enemy action has been found off the coast of southwest England, 105 years after it was sunk by a German submarine.

A team of British divers announced the find on Facebook last week saying it was thrilled to have located the World War I ship, the USS Jacob Jones, about sixty nautical miles south of Newlyn, a fishing harbor in Cornwall.

More than a century ago, in 1917, after the United States entered World War I against Germany, the Jacob Jones left Boston for Ireland, whetre it performed rescue operations, picking up survivors from British steamships that had been hit by German submarines and escorting convoys through dangerous waters.

On December 6, 1917, the Jacob Jones left Brest, France, for Queenstown, Ireland, according to U.S. Naval records.  About 20 miles off the coast of southern England, a German submarine torpedoed the Jones.  There were seven officers and 103 crew members aboard the ship.  Eight minutes later, the ship sank, and 64 men  lost their lives.

--Cooter

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 6: The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Office and Black-Ish

**  THE SIMPSONS

(1989- present)  Fox

Elizabeth Taylor voiced baby Maggie's only spoken word which was "Daddy."

**  SEINFELD

(1989-1998)  NBC

The show about nothing was really something with hilariously interconnected subplots in 180 episodes.

**  THE OFFICE

(2005-2013)  NBC

Everybody recognizes the exaggerated characters in this workplace comedy set in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

**  BLACK-ISH

(2014-2022)  ABC

Who on the show has famous parents in real life?  That would be Tracee Ellis Ross (Diana Ross) and Rashida Jones (Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton), who plays her sister.

--CootHaHa

Some More Facts About 9/11 (And My Thoughts)

I was unable to do my annual commemoration of 9/11 yesterday, so am doing it today in seven of my eight blogs.

From the Do Something Organization "11 facts about 9/11."

**  After the 9/11 atacks on the World Trade Center towers,  the rescue and recovery clean-up of the 1.8 million tons of wreckage from the WTC took 9 months.

I would have liked to have seen that one section of the exterior that was still standing be kept as part of the Memorial.

Plus, when I heard about the call for blood donations, I was thinking that I doubted anyone in those towers when they fell would have survived.  Only a few did.

**  Passengers aboard United Flight 93 heard about the earlier airplane attacks and crashes and decided to attempt to retake ontrol of the plane from the hijackers.  As a result, the hijackers deliberately crashed the plane into the Pennsylvania field instead of their unknown target.  

Personally, I think the Capitol was the target.  That is the seat of our government.

Tomorrow is the Anniversary of 9/11

Definitely a day I will never forget.  I'll be putting up my U.S. flags and attending a memorial ceremony in Johnsburg, Illinois, at 9 a.m..

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 5: The Golden Girls and Friends

**  THE GOLDEN GIRLS

(1985-1992) NBC

Leslie Nielsen guest starred as Lucas Hollingsworth, who married Dorothy (Bea Arthur) in the finale.

**  FRIENDS

(1994-2004) NBC

Best laugh:  the season five episode where Ross yells "Pivot!" while trying to get a counch up the apratment steps.

--Cooter

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 4: The Jeffersons and Cheers

**  THE JEFFERSONS

(1975-1985), CBS

It wasn't until Isabel Sanford (Louise) and Sherman Hemsley (George) reprised their characters on a 1995 episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" that Weezy told George that she was sensitive to her nickname because of her asthma.

**CHEERS

(1982-1993), NBC

The comdey shows that anybody can come into this bar and be your family."  Though the bar on the set was functional, the cast drank "near beer" mixed with a bit of salt to keep a sudsy head in the glass.

--Cooter

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 3: Odd Couple and All in the Family

**   THE ODD COUPLE

(1970-1975), ABC

TonyRandall (Felix) wanted Mickey Rooney as Oscar, but producer Gary Marshall opted for Jack Klugman.

**  ALL IN THE FAMILY

(1971-1979), CBS

Who were Dingbat and Meathead?

In Queens, New York, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) was constantly up in arms over his "Dingbat" wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton), rebellious daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers) and her husband "Meathead" Mike (Rob Reiner, the son of Carl Reiner, who created the "Dick Van Dyke Show),

Says Struthers:  All the subjects we explored on the show are still relevant today."  When Sammy Davis Jr. planted a big kiss on Archie'scheek, "that moment became the longest laugh in the histoy of the sitcom!" she says.  "Archie was both a flawed and lovable character, and we all have someone like that in out family."

I Sure Launghed at that Kiss.   The Look on Archie's Face.  --CootHaHa

This Month in the American Revolution: First Continental Congress, Eutaw Springs, Brandywine, Nathan Hale and Yorktown

From the American Battlefield Trust September 2022 calendar.

SEPTEMBER 5, 1774

**  The First Continental Congress opens at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia.

SEPTEMBER 8,1781

**  Battle of Eutaw Springs, South Carolina

SEPTEMBER 11, 1777

**  Battle of Brandywine, Pennsylvania

SEPTEMBER 16, 1776

**  Battle of Harlem Heights, New York

SEPTEMBER 22, 1776

**  British execute Nathan Hale, a soldier in the Continental Army.

SEPTEMBER 28, 1781

**  Siege of Yorktown, Virginia, begins

--Cooter

Saving America's Battlefields: Battle of Brandywine

From the American Battlefield Trust September 2022 calendar.

BRANDYWINE, PENNSYLVANIA

187 acres saved.

Fought on September 11, 1777, the Battle of Brandywine pitted the Americans, led by George Washington and rising stars Nathaniel Greene and Marquis de Lafayette, against British forces under William Howe and Wilhem von Kynpausen.

A pivotal British victory, Brandywine cleared the way for the Redcoats to capture and occupy Philadelphia, forcing the Continental Congress to flee.

The Trust and its many partners have saved 187 acres of the Brandywine Battlefield, which is  located about 32 miles southwest of Philadelphia near Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania.

--Cooter

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 2: The Beaver, Andy and Mary

**  LEAVE IT TO BEAVER  

(1957-1963)   CBS

The quintessential wholesome family comedy.  Jerry Mathers the "Beaver" charmed producers when he wore his Cub Scout uniform to his audition.

**   THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW

(1960-1968)  CBS

Among the guest stars on it were Jack Nicholson (twice) and Barbara Eden.

**  THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW

(1970-1977)   CBS

A single woman enjoying her independence and a job.  I still like that scene where Lou Grant says to her on her interview for the job, "You know what?  You've got spunk."  Then Mary smiled and thought she'd scored points when Lou continues, "I HATE spunk."  Talk about a crestfallen Mary.

--CootSpunk

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 1: Mary Kate, Lucy and Honeymooners

From the June 26, 2022 Parade Magazine by Mara Reinstein.

"Mary Kate and Johnny is considered to be the very first television sitcom, premiering in 1947 on the DuMont Television Network.  It started as a 15-minute situation comedy and bumped up to 30 minutes eventually.

Wikipedia says the name of it was "Mary Kay and Johnny" and that it premiered on November 18, 1947.

Here are some other sitcom classics:

I LOVE LUCY:  (CBS 1951-1957)   

Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.  Lucy could make anything funny, like the episode of her stomping grapes.  Two other of my favorites are Vitameatavegamin and the candy factory.  And, of course, "Lucy, I'm, home," "Honey, I'm home" and"You got some 'splanin' to do."

THE HONEYMOONERS   (CBS   1955-1956)

And, in front of a live audience.  Jackie Gleason originally said Audrey Meadows was too yound and pretty to play the wife.  She went home, removed her makeup and put on a house dress and she got the job.  And, of course, Art Carney and "Hello, Ball" and those poloponies.

--CootHaHa

Coaches of the Chicago Bears-- Part 5: Fox, Nagy and Eberflus

**  JOHN FOX  (2015-2017)

Record 14-34

Bears in last place of division for most of his tenure.

**  MATT NAGY  (2018-2021)

34-31

12-4 first year, then 8-8, 8-8 and 6-11.

**  MATT EBERFLUS  (2022-?

The 17th head coach of Da Bears.

That's four coaches since 2012.  Appears Da Bears are also having coach problems as well as quarterback ones.  

We shall see.

--CootBears

Coaches of the Chicago Bears-- Part 4: Jauron, Smith and Trestman

**  DICK JAURON (1999-2003)

Record:  35-45

Highlight was his 2001 season where the Bears went 13-3.  Other than that, not so good.

**  LOVIE SMITH  (2004-2012)

Record:  81-63

He was fired after going 10-6 in 2012.  That was a whole lot better than most coaches after Ditka.  He was also the only Bear coach other than Ditka to get the team to the Super Bowl.

**  MARC TRESTMAN  (2013-2014)

Record:  13-19

Fired for missing playoffs in both his seasons.

If course, a huge problem with the Bear teams is that we just can't find a quarterback.

--CootSad

Coaches of the Chicago Bears-- Part 3: Armstrong, Ditka and Wannstedt

**  NEILL ARMSTRONG (1978-1981):  

Record:  30-34

Came to Bears with defensive assistant Buddy Ryan and, of course, that defense that came later.

MIKE DITKA  (1982-1992)

Record:  106-62

What can you say, but Da Coach.

**  DAVE WANNSTEDT  (1993-1998)

Record:  40-56

His 1-11 ecord against the Packers didn't help either.

Da Bears, Da Coach.  --CootBear

Coaches of the Chicago Bears-- Part 2: Driscoll, Dooley, Gibron and Pardee

**  PADDY DRISCOLL (1956-1957)

Record:  14-9-1

**  JIM DOOLEY   (1968-1971)

Record:  20-36

First Bears coach to be actually fired.

**  ABE GIBRON  (1972-1974)

Record:  11-30-1  

Statistically the worst coach.  After being fired,he became the coach of the Chicago Wind of the WFL.

**  JACK PARDEE  (1975-1977)

Record:  (20-22)

He left to become coach of Washington Redskins.

--Cooter

DAR Celebrating Phebe Ashley Weed Today-- Part 2

The Battle of Hubbardton, led by Lt. General John Burgoyne, promised to destroy the village of Poultney.  While the men were busy defending the village, Beulah Wheeler Howe, Phebe's grandmother, and 12 other women, led all that could not fight to Fort Bennington -- over 50 miles away through wilderness to safety.

This extrordinary bravery of the of these thirteen women is still celebrated today woth a parade and festival in their honor called East Poultney Days.

Phebe's family relocated to New York where she married Amasa Mead, who had fought in the War of 1812, and had her first family.  A Kishwaukee Trail member is descended from her fifth child, Catherine Phebe Mead, born December 20, 1821.

Phebe's husband  died and she married John Weed.  They had three more children and she ran a very busy and happy household.

Phebe moved to be near her daughter, Catherine Phoebe Mead, sho married Frederick Morgan Webb.  They were residents of Marengo, Illinois, in the early 1850s.

--Cooter

DAR Celebrating the Life of Real Daughter Phebe Weed Today in Marengo, Illinois

On Sunday, August 14 at 1:30 PM, the Kishwaukee Trail Chapter NSDAR (Illinois) will have a ceremony at Old Marengo Cemetery in Marengo, Illinois.  They will mark the grave of Phebe Ashley Mead Weed, daughter of an American Revolutionary Patriot.

Phebe Ashley was born on Poultney, Vermont, the sixth child of 13 children.  Her uncle Thomas Ashley, Ethan Allen and Nehemiah Howe helped settle the small farming community where she grew up.

Phebe's father, William Ashley, served in the American Revolution and fought for our country's freedom in the Vermont militia.

Young Phebe grew up knowing that her grandmother, Beulah Wheeler Howe, was also a freedom fighter known for being among thirteen women who saved the children and citizens of Poultney from a British invasion.

--Brock-Perry

Anne-Louis Toussard of the American Revolution

Last month and this month, I wrote quite a lot on this man in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  I had never heard of him before and came across an article about a letter he had written describing the big hurricane that hit New Orleans in 1812, while he was the French consul there.

It turns out he was a major force in early American history, especially during the American Revolution, but also later in the young country's history.  He was one of the French who saved the fledgling country.  I probably should have written about him more in this blog.

Just a short summary of some of what he did:

A French artillerist who served  in the American Continental Army under Lafayette and was given a commission.    He wrote an artillery book which became the training basis of the American Army as well as the one who pushed for a school to train officers (that became West Point).

You can go click on the My Blogs section to the right of this to read more about him, especially if you're really into the American Revolution.

This man should be as well known as Lafayette, but sure isn't.

--Cooter

Coaches of the Chicago Bears-- Part 1: Halas, Halas, Halas

From the Chicago Tribune "How past coaches have fared, and when they left."

As the Bears were approaching the end of another disappointing season in 2021, it was expected thatb head coach Matt Nagy would be gone.  He was.

Here are the past coaches, years coached and records:

**  GEORGE HALAS (1920-1929), (1933-1942), (1946-1955), (1958-1967)

Record (318-148-31)

**  RALPH JONES  (1930-1932)

Record (24-10-7)

The next two were assistant coaches who co-coached the Bears while Halas was gone to World War II.

**  LUKE JOHNSON (1942-1945) 

Record (23-11-2)

**  HUNK ANDERSON (1942-1945)

Record (23-11-2)

Why We Call It Halas' Team.  --Cooter

William J. Snow-- Part 5: Retirement and Family

After retiring, he resided in Washington, D.C., and Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania.  In 1940, he published  a memoir "Signposts of Experienece."  He died in Washington on February 27, 1947, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section South, Site 3953.

Snow was the recipient of the  U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal for his World War I service. and the British  Order of Bath (Companion) and the French Legion of Honor (Commander).

On 1892, Snow married  Isabel  O'Hear Locke (1872-1944) of  Atlanta, Georgia and had a son named William A. Snow (1894-1940), who was also a graduate of West Point.  The son was a veteran of World War I who attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and an engineer.  I have already written, he constructed what is today called Snow's Cut near Wilmington, North Carolina, which connects the Cape Fear River to sounds along the Intercoastal Waterway.

William J. Snow was survived by two grandchildren, Margaret (1922-2011) and William J. Snow II (1923-2011)  Margaret Payne Snow Coburn's first husband, John Harrell Hill (1911-1980) who served during WW II in the Pacific Theater and her second one, Melville  Brown Coburn (1912-1992) who was an Army major general and graduated from West Point as well.

William J. Snow II  also was a West Point graduate in  and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

A West Point Family.  --Cooter

William J. Snow-- Part 4: Post World War I

Back in last month, I was writing about Army General William J. Snow, the father of Lt. Col. William A. Snow, who engineered Snow's Cut in North Carolina near Wlmington.  Always, reaching the Snow's Cut Bridge on US Highway 421, meant you were entering Carolina Beach, my favorite all-time beach.

Major General Snow was a major figure in the U.S. Army's artrillery in the first part of the 20th century.  Much like Anne-Louis Toussard was for the Continental Army and early 1800s U.S. Army (I've been writing about him in my Cooter's History Thing blog last month.

AFTER WORLD WAR I

After World War I, Wiliam Snow continued to serve as Chief of U.S. Artillery.  This position was codified by law in 1920.  He served until retiring in 1927.  

During this time, he oversaw the artillery branch's postwar reorganization, including the beginning of testing and experimentation to determine how to transition from horse drawn equipment to mechanized and modernized processes for directing and  controlling  indirect fire to improve speed and accuracy.

--Cooter

This Month in the American Revolution: Battles of Hanging Rock, Bennington, Camden, Long Island and Parker's Ferry

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

AUGUST 6, 1790

**  Battle of Hanging Rock, South Carolina

AUGUST 16, 1777

**  Battle of Bennington, New York

AUGUST 16, 1780

**  Battle of Camden, South Carolina

AUGUST 27, 1776

**  Battle of Long Island, New York

AUGUST, 30 1781

**  Battle of Parker's Ferry, South Carolina.

--Brock-Perry

But, Back to Mark Buehrle Got Us Drenched-- Part 3: We Get All Wet

I had to stop for a day on the drenched chroncicles to write about Mark Buehrle's next pitching outing which got exciting as well.  Imagine pitching back-to-back perfect games.  Well, it didn't happen, but wow, wouldn't that have been something!

To set the story, we had remained at Chopper's (bar and grill) up on Channel Lake in Antioch, Illinois, to see if Burehrle would get the perfect game despite knowing that a nasty storm was blowing in.  (We were in our boat, School's Out... Forever!)  Had we left in the 8th inning, we might have made it home, but we stayed.  Hey, how often do you get the chance to see a perfect game?

It hadn't started raining yet, but there was plenty of lightning and thunder off in the distance and getting closer.

We, (Kevin, Kelly, Liz and myself) decided to make a run for it.  We left and walked rapidly to the boat, cast off and started on our way.  It started  drizzling about half way to the Illinois Route 173 bridge and got steadily harder until a downpour.  (At this time we decided we probably should have just stayed at Chopper's.  But, too late.)  

The wind also picked up as well.  We ended up taking cover under the bridge until the worst had passed over about fifteen minutes later.  The rain let up some, but was still coming down enough to soak us pretty well on the rest of our way home.

So, as you can see, it was all Mark Buehrle's fault we got drenched.

And, he never apologized.

Thanks A Lot, Mark.  --RoadWet

Today in White Sox History: Buehrle Almost Has Another Perfect Game!!

From the July 28, 2022, SB Nation site.

Mark Buehrle  was perfect through 5 2/3 innings against the Minnesota Twins.  This was his next start after pitching a perfect game his last time on the mound.  I have written a lot about that outing in the previous posts.

In so doing, he set a MLB record for most consecutibe batters retired at 45.

That streak had started when he got the last out in his July 18th win over Baltimore and added substantially on his July 23 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which was a perfect game on July 23.

In so doing this, he broke the previous record mark of 41 set by  Jim Barr in 1971 and tied by Buehrle's teammate Bobby Jenks in 2007.

However, the Sox lost the game that Buehrle broke the record to the Twins 5-3.

Doggone Twinkies.  --Cooter

Mark Buehrle Got Us Drenched-- Part 2: But, the Perfect Game Was Worth It

We had some discussion about staying or leaving and it was decided to chance the storm and stay.  Here was a chance to see only the 18th ever perfect game in Major League Baseball.  And, of course, for me, it was the Chicago White Sox, making it even better.

Eighth inning and Buehrle still had the perfect game.  By now, we could hear the thunder and see the lightning and it was going to be a really bad storm for sure.  Come on Mark, either get this over with or give up a hit so we can get out of there.

We wanted the Sox to go down fast in their part of the eighth.  They did.  Three up, three down.

Now, we have the 9th.  Will he do it or not?  Huge clap of thunder really close by as Tampa came up to bat.  The TVs flickered and went off.  Oh, NO!!!  Not now.  No rain yet, but, oh, no.  Thankfully the TVs came back on with one out.  

What we didn't know was that when the TVs went off, Tampa player Gabe Kapler had hit what would have been a home run ball, but was caught by DeWayne Wise, who had been put in the game that inning for his defensive ability.  He lived up to that name and leaped high to catch the ball as it cleared the outfield stands.  One out.  And, I should mention that the collision with the wall knocked the ball out of his glove and he juggled it once or twice on the way down to the ground before he caught it.  WHOA!!!

Buehrle got the next two out easily and we had our perfect game.

And, We Haven't Even Gotten Wet Yet.  --Cooter

Mark Buehrle Got Us All Drenched-- Part 1

I remember July 23, 2009,very well.  We were out with our friends Kevin and Kelly in our boat that day and cruising the Chain O' Lakes here in northeastern Illinois.  And, it was a perfect day in the morning and part way through the afternoon, but we had warnings of a major storm hitting the area around mid-afternoon.

We were all the way up in the upper lakes and we decided to stop at one more place called Chopper's on Channel Lake in Antioch before heading home before the storm hit.  We were going to have just a drink and be on our way.  

The White Sox game was on and I was kind of watching it until I saw a stat that here in the 7th inning, the Sox pitcher, Mark Buehrle,  had not given up a hit.  Even better than that, no Tampa Bay batter had reached base.  In other words, A PERFECT GAME!!  

Well, a perfect game is just something I had to see, especially since the one I was at back in 1983 where the Tiger pitcher, Milt Wilcox,  had a perfect game until Jerry Hairston pinch hit a single with two outs in the 9th to blow my chance of being in attendance at a perfect game.  (To see their pictures and read about this game, go to my Down Da Road I Go blog.  By the way, even though I am a Sox fan, I was pulling all the way for Wilcox.)

Well, we would just have to stay and watch.   Storm or no storm.

Tomorrow.  --Cooter

By the way, congratulations to Mr. White Sox, Minnie Minoso, who was indcted into baseball's Hall of Fame today.  It's about time.

Another White Sox Pitching Gem: Mark Buehrle's Perfect Game

JULY 23, 2009

It  had only happened 17 times before (and I was there back in 1983 when Milt Wilcox of the Detroit Tigers almost threw one against the White Sox.  You can read about that game in my Down Da Road I Go blog.).

On this date, Mark Buehrle became the 18th pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game when he shut out the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0.

Buehrle was helped by  Dewayne Wise in the top of the 9th inning when he made the catch of his career, leaping above the wall in left-center to snare a ball hit by Gabe Kapler.  On the way down, he started to lose the ball, then snatched it out of the air with his other hand as he tumbled to the ground.  That ball would have been a home run.

Wise had been inserted in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement, so this play-- among the  best in White Sox and baseball history -- was his first action of the game.

Buehrle completed his perfect game in just two hours and three minutes -- the exact same amount of time it took for his no-hitter in 2007.  He became only the fourth pitcher in MLB to ever throw a perfect game and a no-hitter (April 18, 2007), joining Cy Young, Sandy Koufax and Randy Johnson in that category.

Afterwards, Buehrle got a call from President Barack Obama, a big White Sox  fan.

And, I had a personal experience with Buehrle's perfect game that I will write about in the next post.

--CootFect

This Date White Sox History: Hoyt Wilhelm

Even as I am fed up with the futility of this year's White Sox team, they stink, I am still a Sox fan and on July 23 two major pitching gems occurred in Sox history.

Both of them I remember very well.

JULY 23, 1968

White Sox relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm appeared at both ends of a double header against the Red Sox at Comiskey Park (it is still Comiskey Park to me).  The future Hall of Famer set the record for most appearances by a pitcher and broke Cy Young's record of 905 games.  "Old Tilt" would appear in a staggering 1,070 games before he retired.

Chicago split the two games with Boston.

In Wilhelm's six years with the Sox, he won 41 games and saved 98 others, while producing  some astonishing low ERAs considering he threw the knuckleball, a very slow-moving baseball.  His highest ERA between 1963 and 968 was  2.64.  Every other season he was below 2.00!!

Clearly, he was the top relief pitcher of the 1960s.

I remember he taught Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood how to throw the knuckleball and Woods went on to be impressive as well.

That Hoyt!  What a Pitcher.  --CootKnuck

William J. Snow-- Part 3: Of Huge Importance in the U.S. Army's Field Artillery (and Anne Louis Toussant)

In July, 1917, he was selected to command the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and promoted to brigadier general.  At the school, he began the process of   reorganizing and modernizing the  program of instruction to meet the increased  demand for officers created by World War I.

In September 1917, Snow was assigned to command the 156th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  In February 1918, he was selected to serve as the first Chief of Field Artillery, an unofficial position created to oversee the field artillery branch's wartime mobilization and training and was promoted to major general in June.

In this role, he created a system of training centers and replacement depots, which enabled the artillery branch to meet the wartime demand for qualified artillerymen.

William J. Snow was obviously a very important man in the field artillery branch of the U.SA. Army.  Of interest, currently I am writing about a man named Anne-Louis Toussard in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  He was of great importance to  the American artillery in the American Revolution and wrote a book about artillery used in the 1800s by the United States.  He also was very important in the creation and early days of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  Well worth a trip over there to read about him.

Just Some More RoadTripping Through History.  --Cooter

Some More on MG William J. Snow-- Part 2: All Sorts of Field Artillery Positions

In 1910, he played a key role in organizing the United States Field Artillery Association; he became its first Secretary and the first editor of the Field Artillery Journal.

In 1910, Snow was assigned to the Militia Bureau as senior inspector and instructor of National Guard artillery units.  Promoted to major in 1911 and from 1911-1914 commanded  2nd Battalion, 3rd Field  Artillery at Fort Myer, Virginia.

In January 1915, he was assigned to 2nd Field Artillery (Mountain) at Camp Stotsenburg, Philippines. and in June 1916, was  assigned command of the 1st Field Artillery Regiment at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.  Then promoted to lieutenant colonel in June and colonel in July.

On April 1917, the same month the United States entered World War I, he was assigned to command the 4th Field Artillery, which he led during training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and at a temporary camp at Syracuse, New York.

--Cooter

Some More on Major General William J. Snow: 1890 West Point Graduate and Early Service

William Snow graduated from West Point in 1890, ranking #24 out of 54 students.  Thirteen otther of his class went on to become generals.

Snow received his commission as 2nd lieutenant in the field artillery and was assigned to the 1st Artillery Regiment.

During the Spanish-American War he performed coast artillery duty at Fort St. Philip (it gained fame during the Civil War when Farragut ran past it and Fort Jackson on his way to capture New Orleans).  He was pomoted to 1st lieutenant.  Next, he served as quartermaster of the 7th Artillery Regiment at Fort Slocum, New York.

The regiment was ordered to the Philippines during the insurrection and served there until there until May, 1901.

Next, he was promoted to captain and stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was made commander of the 20th Field Battery (Horse).  It was later redesignated as the Battery E, 6th Field Artillery Regiment.  From  1907 to 1908 he attended the Army War College and then returned to the 6th Field Artillery where he served as adjuatnt.

--Cooter

Major General William J. Snow

From Wikipedia.

WILLIAM J. SNOW  

(December16, 1868 to February 27, 1947)

Career U.S. Army officer who reached the rank of major general.  Served as Chief of Field Artillery for seven years in the 1920s.

Native of Brooklyn, New York.  Graduated from USMA in 1890 and commenced a long career in the Army's field artillery branch.  Served in New York early in his career, then graduated  from the artillery school at Fort Monroe.  During the Spanish-American War  he was involved with coast artillery in Louisiana.

Served in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War before returning to the States to command a battery at Fort Riley (Kansas).  Then spent several years on duty at the Militia Bureau and commanded a battalion at Fort Myer (by Washington D.C.)

He commanded  the 1st Field Artillery Regiment in the period immediately preceding World War I.

--Cooter

William A. Snow's Father, William J. Snow, Was Army Major General

From Find-A-Grave.

MG WILLIAM JOSIAH SNOW 

His father was a career soldier who also graduated from the USMA at West Point.

BIRTH:  16 December 1868,  Brooklyn, New York

DEATH:   27 February 1947,   Washington, D.C.

BURIAL:  Arlington National Cemetery  Section 3, Site 3953,

Major General U.S. Army.

Major General William Josiah's Snow's father was  William Dunham Snow (1832-1910)   He was a U.S. Senator from Arkansas.  Raised a brigade of Arkansas troops for U.S. Army in 1865.  He was also an inventor.

Disco Demolition at Old Comiskey Park on This Date in 1979

July 12, 1979

On this night, between games of a double header with the Detroit Tigers, the infamous "Disco Demolition" was staged.  Fans rioted after deejay Steve Dahl blew up a load of disco records.  It was a real "Disco Sucks" event.

The second game was forfeited to the Tigers because of unplayable field conditions.

The idea for the event came from Mike Veeck, son of Bill Veeck, who worked for the Sox at the time and thought this would help get fans out to the park.  But, no one expected the turnout to be so high and the security at the park proved unable to handle it.

There were problems at the ticket booths outside and most of the security they did have was called to that.  Fans noticed that the field wasn't secure and stormed out onto it.

White Sox players and coaches were locked and barricaded in their locker room after the situation got completely out of control.

Among those in the stands that night were future White Sox relief pitcher Don Pall and future movie actor Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Green Mile"), who grew up to narrate the  2005 White Sox World Championship  highlight film.

By the Way, It's Still Comiskey Park to Me.  --CootDisco

William A. Snow-- Part 3: Distinguished Service Cross for Belleau Wood

He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross.

From his citation:

For extraordinary herosim  in action while serving  with2nd Engineers, 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Force (World War I), in the Belleau Wood, France, June 12-15, 1918.

On order to consolidate the  position of his brigade, Major Snow personally led one company from his battalion through a heavy barrage.  After passing through the barrage, he discovered that part of his company had become separated because of the violent fire.

He returned through the barrage and in so doing, was wounded in the neck.   After having his wound  dressed at the aid station,  he refused to go to the rear, but went back and  conducted the remainder of his men through the barrage.

Despite his wound,  he remained on duty for 16 hours until ordered to the rear.

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

U.S. casualties at Belleau Wood, June 1-26, 1918, amounted to 1,811 killed and 7,966 wounded.

William Arthur Snow-- Part 2: World War I Service and Engineering

World War I:  Engineer with American Expeditionary  Force and wounded.

1926-1930:  District engineer at Wilmington, North Carolina.

1930: Major and living in Harnett,  North Carolina.

1930-1935:   District and division engineer in St. Louis, Missouri.

Lieutenant Colonel:   September 25, 1940.

Died at Washington, D.C..

LTC William Arthur Snow-- Part 1: West Point Class of 1916, WW I and Snow's Cut

From Find-A-Grave.

BIRTH:  21 April 1891, Fort Hamilton,New York

DEATH:  25 September 1940 (aged 46), Washington, D.C.

BURIAL:  Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

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

Son of William J. Snow, Major General U.S. Army, and Isabella L. Snow.

Graduated from West Point June 13, 1916, 7th in class of 125.

1916-1917 Mexican punitive expedition.

Snow's Cut, Cape Fear Are Great for Flounder

From Carolina Sportsman site.

The waters of the Lower Cape Fear River and Snow's Cut are great for catching flounder, especially large flounder.  Indeed the state record for this fish, twenty pounds, was caight here in 1980.  However, flounder fishing isn't as good as it once was, but you can still catch ten pounders and heavier.

Snow's Cut is a manmade  channel that carries the Intercoastal Waterway from Carolina Beach to the Cape Fear River.  Named for Major William A. Snow, project manager for the U.S. Corps of Engineers for the initial dredging, it is about 1.75 miles long and originally dredged to 120 feet wide and  12 feet deep.

Many locals opposed its construction because of the introduction of more salt seawater through Carolina Beach Inlet into the Cape Fear River ten miles inland, the project was apprived and completed.  It killed many of the cypress trees lining the river banks.

--Cooter

About William A. Snow (Snow's Cut)-- Part 3: How It Came to be Named That

Following the war, Major Snowserved in the Army Corps of Engineers in Kansas after which he obtained a BS in Civil Engineering at M.I.T..  For the next two years he was in Washington, D.C., as an assistant to the Chief Engineer in that district.

In July 1926, he was assigned to Wilmington, N.C., as the Chief Engineer of the Wilmington District.  he was 32 years old at the time.  His assignment was to complete the 93 miles continuation of the Intercoastal Waterway from Beaufort, N.C., to the mouth of the Cape Fear River.

There was only parcel of land to be cut in that stretch and that was what we now call Snow's Cut.  This would be to connect Masonboro Sound with the Cape Fear River.  

This cut was completed in 1920 and transformed Federal Point Peninsula into an island requiring a bridge to cross over.

The cut and bridge have been known ever since as Snow's Cut, named for the young Army Corps engineer.

--CooterCut

About William A. Snow (Snow's Cut)-- Part 2: Service in World War I

William Arthur Snow was born in Fort Hamilton, New York, to Major General and Mrs. William J. Snow.  He graduated from West Point in 1916 and was assigned to the Corps of Engineers as a second lieutenant.

His first service was in Mexico from graduation to the spring of 1917.  In late September, 1917, he sailed to France with the 2nd Division.  There, he immediately started training his company in construction work and preparing for the ineviatble battle that was coming in World War I.

Snow was at the front in the Verdun Sector, Chateau Thierry, Belleau Woods and Soissons and was wounded twice and later served with the Army of Occupation in Germany.

By now he was a major and was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Silver Cross, Chevalier Legion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre with Two Palms and the Silber Star Citation for his service during the war. 

--Cooter

July 4, 1964, in White Sox History: That's Some Pitching

I have always been a Chicago White Sox fan, even though I'm taking a break from them right now until they start playing baseball better than a sub-.500 team.

Anyway, back in the 1960s, when I started following them, they had some excellent pitching.

On July 4, 1964, over the holiday weekend, this pitching performance was definitely on exhibition.

On July 4th itself, Gary Peters blanked the Cleveland Indians (and they will always be the Indians to me, not that new name) on three hits, winning 4-0.  In the Sunday double header, it was  Juan Pizarro tossing  a seven-hitter in the opener, winning 2-0.  Then in the second game, Joel Horlen only gave up four hits, winning 5-0.

In 27 innings, the Indians managed no runs on 14 hits.  Now, that's some pitching.

The 1967 White Sox are still my all-time favorite team.  They really should have gone to the World Series that year, but it was not to be.

--CootSox

About Major William A. Snow (of Snow's Cut)-- Part 1: (How You Know You've Arrived at Carolina Beach, NC)

From the May 2017 Federal Point Historic Preservation Society Newsletter.

If you're driving on U.S. Highway 421 south of Wilmington, North Carolina, heading to the beaches on what is now referred to as Pleasure Island, you may notice crossing a pretty big bridge over some water.  That is the Snow's Cut Bridge.

That bridge always excited me growing up because that meant I got my first glimpse of the ocean and my favorite beach of all time, Carolina Beach.  The old heart started going pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat.  We have ARRIVED.  Hot Dog!!

Of course,  speaking of hot dogs, we already would have stopped at Paul's Place in Rocky Point for their famous hot dogs (with that sauce!!).  Just part of the going to the beach thing.

Well, that stretch of water that the bridge crosses has a name.  It is Snow's Cut.  It took its name from the man who engineered it, Major William A. Snow, a World War I veteran.  That water the bridge crossed is part of the Intercoastal Waterway and connects the Cape Fear River on the west side to sounds on the east side.

--Cooter

Seven Events That Led to the American Revolution

From the July 14, 2020 History.com site.

As we get into the anniversary of this country.

I am just listing them and if you want to know more, go to the site.

1.  The Stamp Act  (March 1765)

2.  The Townshend Acts (June-July 1767)

3.  The Boston Massacre  (March 1770)

4.  The Boston Tea Party  (December 1773)

5.  The Coercive Acts (March-June 1774)

6.  Lexington and Concord (April 1775)

7.  British attacks on coastal towns (October  1775-January 1776)

--Cooter

Remembering Dog 'N Suds Back Then: Food Prices

We haven't been to the place yet this year, but usually we go on Thursdays when they have a special on Charcoburgers.  Last year the deal was two for $4.  We don't know what it is this year.  A few years back, it was two for $3.  Wash that down with one of thse great root beers, and you're in heaven.

Anyway, they had a menu with prices from the past.  Unfortunately, there was not a date on it.

But, here they are:

Charcoburger  60 cents

Coney Dog:  60 cents

Hot Dog:  30 cents

Texas Burger:  $1.15

Root Beer:  25 cents and 30 cents

French Fries:  35 cents

Onion Rings:  50 cents

Shakes and Malts:  55 cents

Pork Tenderloin:  70 cents.

Sure wish we still had these prices.  I almost can't afford to eat out these days.

Don't You Wish.   --CootBeer

Remember Dog 'N Suds

We are fortunate to have one of the seven or so remaining Dog 'N Suds restaurants  left in the United States right here in Ingleside, Illinois, just a short distance from the Grant Hall Museum where the Fox Lake/Grant Township Area Historical Society meets.

There are also two other Dog 'N Suds within twenty miles of us.  One is in Richmond and the other in Grayslake.  I am particularly fond of their root beer, of course, but also their Coney Dogs and Charburgers.

Plus, the gal comes out to your car to take your order and bring the food.  It's real retro.  And, for even more of a retro experience, you can go over to the McHenry Drive-In (about 15 miles away) and see movies under the stars.

We have a Miller's Dog 'N Suds display in the museum.

I looked at a menu from the past (unfortunately no date on it), but I sure would like to have those prices today.

Next Post.  --CootBeerandDog

Fox Lake Hist. Society-- Part 4: The Minneola, Grant High Yearbooks and Docents

And, speaking of the Mineola, a couple months ago the local papers were reporting that it  has been sold and that it would be torn down, but rebuilt with features of the old structure.

But according to a member of the Jakstas family in attendance it may or may not have been sold.  We'll know for sure in August.  There is also word of a TIF District, but what that will entail is also not known.  It might be for up to 23 years.

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

Recently, we received Grant Township High School yearbooks for 1947, 1948 and 1950.  We keep one of each year, but will sell extras.  Have yearbook will sell.

We are asking $65 per book.  Classmates is asking $100 for theirs.

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

We still need docents for the two days a month we are open to the public.  That is the first and third Sundays.

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

Looking for ideas for fundraisers.

I'd like to have one of those "Open" flags to fly out front when we're open.

--Cooter

Fox Lake Hist. Society-- Part 3: About Deer Haven Park

Our research committee has been updating the notebook on Dollar Lake.

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

Deer Haven was in Ingleside between Washington Street and Illinois Highway 59.

It was a 19.3 acre park with a miniature train, pony rides, picnic facilities, refreshment stands and deer so tame that young children could feed them by hand.  It operated from 1960 to 1967.

The tagline of the place was "Go on a See-Nik Pic-nik."  They boasted of having  a Fairy-Tail Forest where children could  see deer, monkeys, birds, buffalo, lambs, goats and lots of bunnies.

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

The "Boating on the Chain" book costs $75 and is mostly about boat racing on the Chain O' Lakes.  It has been sold out.

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

Kora and Maude streets in Fox Lake, near the Mineola were named after the daughters of the Mineola builders.

--Cooter

Fox Lake Historical Society Meeting-- Part 2: Talking About Dollar Lake and Beer Can Bridge

There was no presentation today because of the death of President Nancy Kubalanza.  Just didn't seem right to have one.

There is a movement to place historical markers around Fox Lake.

The site of Dollar Lake, now the plaza with the theater and Val's grocery store is scheduled for one.  Dollar Lake was shallow and filled in.  Paul Jakstas says there is no truth to there being any trains in the former lake (used as fill).  It was filled up partially with land from G.I. Hill

In 1954, Rollins Road came through to Fox Lake and the shopping centyer was built 1962-1963.  It used to have a small Sears store and a Woolworth's.

They also hope to put up anoher sign by what is locally called Beer Can Bridge which takes US Route 12 (Rand Road) over a channel between Nippersink Lake and Pistakee Lake.  It gets its name from all the beer cans placed on the underside of the girders by boaters passing under them.  

This is also by where the old Midway was located, an area of bars, hotels and amusements.

--Cooter

Fox Lake/Grant Township Area Historical Association Meeting May 21, 2022: Goodbye to Nancy Kubalanza

Held at the Grant Hall Museum in Ingleside, Illinois.

Nancy Kubalanza had been president of the organization since 2003 and was instrumental in getting the present building from the Grant Township Transportation Department for use as the museum.  She was also very active with the Republican Club of the area.

A moment of silence was held for her.  It was kind of sad seeing her name in the minutes of the last meeting held in March.

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

We are looking for some sort of Trak Phone for use since the cost of a landline is now at $138 a month.  A ridiculously high price considering the amount of use we get out of it.

As is the case with most all historical societies, money is extremely short.

(By the way, gas prices at the stations in Fox Lake went from $5.08 to $5.10 on the way over.  Thornton's only sells the Northwest Herald of McHenry County and the Lake County News, which is free, now,  When I bought the Herald, the comment by the clerk at the register was "Wow, a person buying a newspaper."  So sad.  I'll miss newspapers.)

Our original Constitution dates from 1997 and tweaks are needed on it.  We saw a list of proposals.  Nothing major.

--Cooter

Death of Nancy Kubalanza-- Part 3

Nancy was a Republican  Precinct  Committeeman and the Chairman of the Grant Township Republicans for 30+ years.  She was  the State Central  Committeewoman for the 8th and 10th Congressional Districts, a delegate to several Illinois Republican Conventions and was the President of the Grant Township Republican Club.

Most Republicans in Illinois will fondly remember her as the long-time Chairman of the Grant Township Republican Club's  Lincoln Day  Dinner.  She was one of the great ones and her presence and energy will live on forever.

A private service will be held for the immediate family and a Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, we ask you to consider making a donation in her name to the Fox Lake-Grant Township Area Historical Society., P.O. Box 224, Ingleside, Illinois, 60041 as this organizatin was very important to her.  (I'll second that, she will surely be missed.)

Death of Nancy Kubalanza-- Part 2

From leading scout groups to volunteer coaching to the PTA, Nancy was involved in her children's upbringing.  She worked as a  school bus driver to help put her children through Catholic school and college.

After her children were grown, she became more involved in her community.  She was a Lioness in the Fox Lake Lions Club, a long-time member of the Fox Lake-Grant Township Area Historical Society and, yes, she became active in politics.  Very involved in politics.

Nancy loved working on campaigns, rallying the vote and taking charge.  She was a natural born leader.  (As a member of the historical society I can certainly vouch for that last statement.)  She had a way of convincing people to get involved  and making them think it was their own idea.