Monday, April 30, 2018

Because It's the Cup!! Stanley Cup, That Is


From the Tribune by Philip Pritchard, keeper of the Cup.

Over the last 27 years the Stanley Cup has been filled with popcorn, potatoes, thrown into a swimming pool and used as the ultimate prize for street hockey.  And, of course, quite the drinking cup.

Overall, it has 120 years of nicks and smudges.

"There are 49 Super Bowl trophies out there.  There is only one Stanley Cup.  You don't win it.  You borrow it.  But your name is etched on it for all of history" according to Philip Pritchard.

That is what they're going after now in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Seems weird not to have our Blackhawks in it.  Buy, the Stanley Cup is the people's cup.  I loved it when the Hawks would win and following day-to-day where it was.

Well, Maybe Next Year.  --CootCup

Friday, April 27, 2018

Giving Her All for the World War I Effort


From the April 25, 2018, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago

"Miss Celeste Firkins of Rollo has gone as a nurse somewhere in France.  Alden Firkins went to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, for training.  Their brother Bruce is to enter the Army soon.

"Thus, Mrs. Sarah Firkins has been called to give three of her children to help this great fight for righteousness and peace in the world."

Giving Her All.  --Cooter


Colonia de Sacramento: Soimetimes Portuguese, Sometimes Spanish


From Wikipedia.

The Lord Clive privateer, which i have been writing about, was attacking this town when it sank.

City in southwestern Uruguay on the Rio de la Plata.  One of the oldest towns in the country and today with a population of around 27,000.

Founded by the Portuguese in 1680.  Conquered by the Spanish in 1680 and returned in 1681.  It was again captured by the Spanish in 1705 after a five-month siege, but returned again under terms of the Treaty of Utrecht.

It was captured again during the Spanish-Portuguese War 1735-1737.  Evidently it was recaptured and in 1762-1763 by Spain.  It was ruled by Portugal 1763-1777.

This Would be a Good Town to Have Both a Portuguese and a Spanish Flag.  --DaCoot

HMS Kinston (Lord Clive)-- Part 3: The Sinking of the Lord Clive


On January 6, 1763, Robert McNamara and his fleet attacked Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay,  and there was a big fight.

A fire started on the Lord Clive which caused a  massive explosion.  The ship began sinking fast.  McNamara and 271 others died aboard her.

The Ambuscade and Gloria were both badly damaged and left the scene.

I was unable to find any new information about the recovery of the Lord Clive.

--Cooter

Thursday, April 26, 2018

HMS Kingston (Lord Clive Privateer)-- Part 2: Becoming a Privateer


The HMS Kingston was sold to privateers linked to the British East India Company on 14 January 1762 and renamed the Lord Clive.

During the Spanish-Portuguese War 1761-1763, the privateers fought on the side of Portugal and had plans for attacks on Buenos Aires and Montevideo.  Robert McNamara commanded the squadron of ships which included the Lord Clive (60 guns), Ambuscade (40) and the Portuguese ships including the frigate Gloria (38 guns).

On November 2, they sailed from Rio de Janeiro toward the mouth of the Rio de la Plara, but didn't attack because the Spanish were ready for them.

--Cooter

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

HMS Kingston (Privateer Lord Clive)-- Part 1: British Service


From Wikipedia.

The HMS Kingston was a 60 gun, 4th rate ship of the line built in Hull and launched 13 March 1677.  It measured 145 feet on the gundeck and had a 38 foot beam.  It was rebuilt in 1719 and 1740.

It took part in the  War of Spanish Succession and fought in three battles.  Also involved in the Seven Years War and at the Battle of Minorca in 1756 and the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

--Cooter

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

English Privateer Lord Clive Found Off Uruguay-- Part 2


However, those looking to work on the wreck face many problems.  Among them is the muddy water, fast current and rocks of the River Plate.

The Lord Clive was formerly the British Royal Navy's 4th-rate ship of the line HMS Kingston.  It was a six story tall ship and 160 feet long.

As near as I could make out from the article, it sounds like they are trying to recover the whole ship.  And, I am sure the gold has something to do with it.

Work is expected to begin in August.

--Cooter

World War I Chronology, April 1918: Cantigny


APRIL 25-JULY 17--  Cantigny Defensive Sector.  U.S. casualties 963 KIA, 3,006 WIA.

APRIL 26--    U.S. forces reinforce the French at Montdidier.

APRIL 28--  First concentration of American troops in an active part of the Front.  The United States 1st Division takes up positions at Breteuil.

APRIL 29--  Eddie Rickenbacker, 94th Pursuit Squadron, shoots down the first of his 21 enemy aircraft.

--GreGen

Monday, April 23, 2018

English Privateer Lord Clive Found-- Part 1


From the May 10, 2015, NDTV  "After 252 Years, English Warship To be Recovered Off Uruguay."

The Lord Clive was sunk by the Spanish in 1763 and discovered off Uruguay by Ruben Collado in 2004.

It was announced Friday, May 8, that he had received permission from the government of Uruguay to bring up the remains of the 60-gun privateer from off the coast of Colonia del Sacramento.

It was sunk by gunfire from the Spanish while the English and Portuguese bombarded the city during the Seven years War.  Some 270 died aboard the Lord Clive.  The Spanish were able to hold on to the city, but it was later returned to Portugal under the Treaty of 1763.

The Lord Clive was reported to have been carrying a lot of gold as well as barrels of mercury and rum.

--CootClive

A Fire at NIU in 1967


From the March 8, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1967, 50 Years Ago.

"DeKalb firemen made quick work of the blaze in the barracks type building at Northern Illinois University, but the extreme heat in the office, where the blaze started, caused damage that will run up to $3,000."

Because of the fast growth of NIU after World War II, many barracks-style building were constructed to handle the overflow of students.

--Cooter

Saturday, April 21, 2018

10 Forgotten Americans-- Part 3: Watergate, Cortisone and Voting


4.  EDMUND G. ROSS--  During Reconstruction, cast the not guilty vote in the Andrew Johnson impeachment trial that got Johnson off.

3.  MYRA COLBY BRADWELL--  Worked to better the lives of women.

2.  PERCY JULIAN--  Developed an inexpensive production of cortisone, important in the treatment of arthritis.

1.  FRANK WILLS--  On June 17, 1972, he was night watchman at the Watergate office building in Washington, D.C..  He noticed a break-in and called the police.  The rest is, as they say, is history.

--Cooter

10 Forgotten Americans-- Part 2: Roger Sherman Signed Three Really Important American Documents


7.  ROGER SHERMAN--  Backed equal representation in the Constitutional Convention.  The only person to sign the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

6.  MARY BOWSER--  Slave.  Union spy.  Served in the Confederate White House in Richmond, Virginia, and relayed what she overheard to Union lines.

5.  ANGIE TURNER WITTENMEYER--  Social and political activist.  Social worker in Iowa Civil War camp.  Pushed nutritional food to help sick and wounded soldiers recover.  Prominent in  Women's Christian Temperance Union.

--DaCoot



Thursday, April 19, 2018

10 Forgotten Americans-- Part 1: Slavery in New York and Massachusetts


From the March 26, 2015, ListVerse  "10 Forgotten Americans Who Made American History" by Ardelia Lee.

Remember.  More information and pictures at the site.

10.  ELIZABETH JENNINGS GRAHAM--  A black woman in New York City, who in 1854 got on a horse-drawn carriage designated for white people.

9.  JAMES ARMISTEAD LAFAYETTE--  A Virginia slave who was an American spy during the Revolutionary War.

8.  ELIZABETH FREEMAN--  Born a slave in New York.  Brought a case against her owners when they moved to Massachusetts.  Set precedent for the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts.

That's Right.  There Was Slavery in New York and Massachusetts At One  Time.  --Cooter

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Saving the Black Hawk Statue in Illinois


From the U.S. News & World Report  "Groups trying to save Northern Illinois' Black Hawk statue"  AP.

The 48-foot tall, 270 ton landmark located on a bluff in Lowden State Park on the Rock River is getting very old and in need of repairs.  Since five years ago, it has been covered in black protective sheets because of a lack of state funding and disagreements between groups working to preserve it.

Before being covered up it was quite a tourist attraction, drawing 400,000 visitors a year.  That number is down considerably.

Famed sculptor Lorado Taft made the Eternal Indian statue and it was dedicated in 1911 and listed on the NRHP in 2001.

It is most commonly called Black Hawk or the Rock River Collossus.

--DaCoot

Landmarks Illinois Offering Grants for World War I Memorials


From Landmarks Illinois.

There are only two more chances for people to apply for the Landmarks Illinois World War I Memorial Preservation Grant program.

The group is providing funding for outdoor monuments and memorials to the war 100 years ago.

The last two opportunities end May 15 and August 15, 2018.

--CootGrant

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

The Tuscania Monument On Islay Island-- Part 2: The Sinking of the HMS Otranto

Eight months later, on October 8, 1918, was carrying troops from New York to Glasgow when it collided with the steamship HMS Kashmir in a heavy storm.

Over 400 of the American troops and British crew were lost.  Many of them were buried at the military cemetery at Kilchoman.  This cemetery has the Kilchoman Cross dating to the 1300s.

--DaCoot

The Tuscania Monument on Islay Island; American Monument on Oa


From the Welcome to Islay site.

The American Monument sits atop a 429-foot high cliff on the Oa Peninsula and was erected in 1920 by the American Red Cross.  It was designed by architect Robert Walked and commemorates the loss of two troopships, the Tuscania and Otranto in 1918.

It overlooks the exact spot where the Tuscania was sunk and is built in the shape of a lighthouse.  You can see it from most parts of the island of Islay.

--Cooter

Monday, April 16, 2018

100th Aero Squadron of World War I


From Wikipedia.

Part of the U.S. Army in World War I.  Ordered to the Western Front and boarded the SS Tuscania 23 January 1918.  Torpedoed 5 February and ship sunk but most of the 100th rescued.

Reformed in England as assigned as Day Bombardment Squadron for long-range bombing attacks on roads, railroads and massed troop formations.

However, just before its first scheduled combat mission the war ended with the 1918 Armistice.  Returned to the States in June 1919 and demobilized.  The group was never reactivated.

--DaCoot

SS Tuscania-- Part 5: American Units Aboard the Ship When Sunk


100th Aero Squadron

158th Aero Squadron

213th Aero Squadron

32nd Infantry Division

20th Engineer Battalion

357th Infantry

165th Depot

--Cooter

Friday, April 13, 2018

SS Tuscania-- Part 4: A Mount St. Helens Connection


One of the military men on the Tuscania was Harry Randall Truman who died in the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington State.  He was a member of the 100th Aero squadron.  He survived the sinking and because of his audacious and independent nature, received several injuries while serving in Europe.

Despite warnings of the impending eruption of the volcano, Truman refused to go to safety and remained at his Mount. St. Helens Lodge on Spirit Lake and died in the eruption.

Reading the account of him in Wikipedia he was quite a character.

--Cooter

Thursday, April 12, 2018

SS Tuscania Sunk By U-Boat-- Part 3: Sunk By the UB-77


On 5 February 1918, the convoy the Tuscania was in was spotted by the UB-77 during daytime and then stalked until early evening.  The German submarine fired two torpedoes and the second one struck.  The Tuscania sank in four hours, nearly three years to the day of its maiden voyage.

Many of the drowned washed up on the shore of Islay Island,.Scotland, and are buried there.  After the war, many of them were reinterred in the Brookwood Military Cemetery.

In 1919, the United states built a memorial on the island.

--Cooter

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

SS Tuscania Sunk By German Torpedo-- Part 2


The ship, an ocean liner, was launched in 1914 and began carrying passengers between New York City and Glasgow, Scotland.  It made the news when it rescued the passengers and crew of the burning Greek steamer SS Athinai on 20 September 1915.

In 1916, the Tuscania was refitted as a troopship and in one trip across the Atlantic in March 1917 evaded a German submarine and a suspected merchant cruiser.

On 24 January 1918, the Tuscania departed Hoboken, New Jersey, with a crew of 384 and 2,013 Army personnel.

--Cooter

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

SS Tuscania Sunk in 1918 During World War I-- Part 1


From Wikipedia.

Back in February I wrote about the sinking of the SS Tuscania on February 6, 1918, after being torpedoed by a German submarine with the loss of 267 of the 2,179 American soldiers it was transporting to Europe.  In the last post I wrote about the DeKalb soldier, James Ellwood Lewis witnessing it.

Here is some more information about the Tuscania.

Was a luxury liner of the Cunard Line subsidiary Anchor Line.  Named after Tuscania, Italy.  Launched 4 September 1914.  Sunk Feb. 5, 1918.

It was 14,348 tons, 567 feet long, 66.4 foot beam.  Mounted a 4-inch naval gun mounted in October 1916.

Torpedoed by the U-77 while transporting American troops to Europe.  Two hundred and ten died.

--DaCoot


DeKalb Soldier Sees the Sinking of the Tuscania


From the March 28, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"  The sinking of the Tuscania was viewed by one DeKalb soldier, James Ellwood Lewis, who has written meager news to the effect that he was with the convoy of the ill-fated ship."

--Cooter

Monday, April 9, 2018

Hot for Teacher in Bensenville in 1918


From the March 28, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"Miss Charlotte Ritter, pretty and vivacious Genoa young woman who has been teaching in the Bensenville schools, resigned Friday and left her home, following an argument of several days with members of the school board and the teachers in the school because she approves of dancing and bridge whist."

What a party animal.  I am sure there were some very, very disappointed boys.

Hot For Teacher.  --CootHot

World War I Chronology, April 1918, 100 Years Ago: Battle of Seicheprey


APRIL 9-27--  BELGIUM:  Operation Georgette (Second Battle of the Lys).  500 Americans from U.S. nedical, air service and engineer units, including the 11th and 16th Engineers (Railway), take part in this battle in Flanders south of Ypres.

APRIL 11--  U.S. cargo ship Lake Moor is torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Scotland.  Forty-five die.

APRIL 20--  Battle of Seicheprey.  First sizable battle for U.S. forces in the war.  26th Infantry Division (51st and 52nd Infantry Brigades) vs, 3,200 Germans.  Fierce fight for Hill 320.  160 Germans are KIA in the Ramieres Wood, France.

--DaCoot

High School Basketball 100 Years Ago


From the March 28, 2018, MidWeek   "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago

"Saturday night the Waterman basketball team came down and played the Rollo team."

I didn't know that high schools had teams playing the sport 100 years ago.

--CootBBall

Friday, April 6, 2018

Lots About Delaware in My Not So Forgotten War of 1812 Blog


This past week and most of March, I wrote about a whole lot of Delaware's War of 1812 history as well as back to its Colonial Era.

This started with a post about the British attack on Lewes.  I covered such topics as New Castle, James A. Bayard, Caesar Augustus Rodney, the blue rocks, "The Rocks", Thomas Stockton, Caleb Bennett, Joseph Hasler , Lewes and the War of 1812 Heritage Trail.

Just go to the My Blogs to the right of this and click on Not So Forgotten War of 1812 Blog.

Did You Know Delaware Was Originally A Swedish Colony?  --Cooter

A Second Phone Line Put Into DeKalb Fire Department in 1917


From the March 29, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago."

"In order that there might not be no time lost in case someone was endeavoring to report a fire in DeKalb, another telephone has been placed at the station.

"The new phone has been attached to the telephone gong circuit, and in case the operator cannot get the boys on 49, she has an opportunity to use 549."

A Three-Digit Phone Number.  I Could Remember That.  --Cooter

Thursday, April 5, 2018

10 Bizarre Cold War Tales-- Part 3: "Uncle Wiggly Wing"


3.  Joseph McCarthy's campaign against gays.  The Lavendar Scare.  Claimed there were gay government workers he gave away state secrets.  He forced the gay community underground.

2.  The United States dropped tons of candy on Berlin after the Berlin Blockade began which could have started World War III.  Pilots dropping the candy were called "The Candy Bomber" or "Uncle Wiggly Wing."

1.  Nikita Khruschev and Richard Nixon squared off inside an American kitchen in what is called "The Kitchen Debate.  Vice President Nixon was in Moscow on July 24, 1959 for the opening of the America Nation Exhibition.

Pas the Coffee.  --Cooter


10 Bizarre Cold War Tales-- Part 2: Tricking Castro


7.  The Zambian schoolteacher's strange space program.  Zambia sort of had our space program.

6.  The U.S. built an underground nuclear ice fortress in Greenland called Project Iceworm in 1960.

5.  The British annexed a single rock islet called Rockall as a security measure.   It was 70 feet tall near the Falkland Islands.

4.  The Soviet Union tricked Castro into giving up his nuclear missiles during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  It did not end when the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles in October 1962.  The true ending was November 22, 1962, when the Soviet Union tricked Castro.

--DaCootIce

10 Bizarre Cold War Tales Left Out of History Books-- Part 1: Bears in Planes


From the March 27, 2015, ListVerse by Marc V.

Of course, I am just listing here.  Go to the site to find out more.

10.  North Korea and the U.S. almost went to war over a tree in what is called the Poplar Tree Incident on August 17, 1976.

9.  The U.S. created a ring of copper around the Earth.  Five hundred copper needles launched into space in 1963 in Project West Ford.

8.  U.S. Air Force used bears as test pilots.  Sedated bears were used in experiments to determine ejection capsules from supersonic aircraft.  No deaths, but major injuries.

--CootTree

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

DeKalb Business Making Money from World War I in 1917


From the September 20, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"The Nehring Electrical Works at the corner of Sixth and Lincoln Highway are working day and night shifts at this time and enjoying an unusual amount of business in the covered wire lines.

"An order was received this morning for 1,000 miles of the best covered wire, and this will keep the plant busy for several days."

A war industry.

--Cooter


Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Death of Roanoke's Last Confederate Veteran in 1941: James Washington Gwaltney


Fromthe October 3, 2016, Roanoke Rimes (Va.) "Looking Back."

"James Washington Gwaltney, Roanoke's last surviving Confederate veteran and the city's oldest resident died at 4:45 p.m. at his home."

He was 96 years old and lived in Roanoke's Virginia Heights neighborhood.  Enlisted at age 16 in Tennessee and fought at Chickamauga.  He attended the veteran's reunion at Gettysburg in 1938, the 75th anniversary of that battle.

--CootConfed


Monday, April 2, 2018

World War I Chronology, April 1918, 100 Years Ago-- Part 1


APRIL 1-6--  Somme Defensive.  Elements of the 6th Engineers (3rdID) and the 14th and 212th Engineers (Railway) participate.  Also the 22nd, 28th and the 17th Aero Squadrons fly missions.  It started March 21.

APRIL 6--  2,000 U.S. troops reinforce the British in the Amiens Sector.

APRIL 8--  The 1st Aero Squadron is the first U.S. air squadron assigned to the front line.

--DaCootSomme

Railroad Tracks to Camp Grant in 1917


In my Friday, March 30, 2018 RoadDog's RoadLog, I wrote about additional railroad tracks being added in DeKalb County,Illinois in 1917.  This was to help make faster and more efficient travel to Camp Grant, a huge World War I training camp to the west of Rockford, Illinois.

--Cooter