An Eagle Comes To DeKalb in 1918: Good Or Bad Wartime Omen?

From the November 7, 2018, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1918, 100 Years Ago.

"What does the appearance of an eagle mean when it enters a town during wartime.  Is it a premonition of good or evil?

"More likely the bird wanted to rest and found DeKalb a neat spot.  The bird was seen by John Anderson and others who live near the Haish school.  It was a mammoth creature and most beautiful according to those who saw it."

Of course we now know that this was the time World War I was fast approaching its end.

By November  7, 1918, the War Was Almost Over.  --Cooter

Looking Back At Sycamore, Illinois-- Part 1: 1889

From the December 9, 2014 Mid Week (Sycamore, DeKalb County).

125 Years Ago, 1887

The Sycamore City Council purchased a hook and ladder truck for $250 from the E.B. Preston Co. of Chicago. (Cheap!)

On Monday the temperature was 104 degrees!!

The canned goods from the Sycamore Preserve Works have gotten so popular the business is going to double during next year.

"While driving by Norwegian Grove Saturday, Mr. Tanner spotted a large bald eagle perched on a treetop.  He drove to town and got his gun, but on return, the proud bird had disappeared."  (This could get you in a lot of trouble today.)

The juice of a ripe pineapple is said to be an infallible remedy for diptheria.  (Something you don't hear much about today.)

--Cooter

Coast Guard Ship Eagle

I wrote about this vessel earlier today in my Civil War blog, Saw the Elephant http://.sawtheelephant.com. As it went past Fort Fisher on the Cape Fear River, the fort fired a welcoming cannon from its 32-pounder at Sheppard Battery.

The August 6th Wilmington Star-News had an article about it by Amy Hotz. Currently, the ship is in the US Coast Guard and used to train Coast guard and other officer candidates and is based in New London, Connecticut.

It is a 295 foot long, square-rig tall ship, USCGC WIX327. The hull is .4 inch thick and has a raised forecastle and a quarterdeck with 3-inch teak over steel. Under full sail, it can make a top speed of 17 knots (20 mph). One striking feature of the ship is the gold eagle on its bow. It has three masts, the tallest of which is 150 feet high.

The reason I am placing this story here is because of its World War II and subsequent history.

It was built in 1936 in Hamburg, Germany and commissioned as Horst Wessel. Originally used as training vessel for German cadets. Adolph Hitler and Rudolph Hess were present at its launch. Horst Wessel was a Nazi party member killed by Communists.

During World War II, it had eight 20 mm machine guns mounted on it and is credited with shooting down 3 Soviet aircraft and one German. This last plane was determined to be an accident after it was found that the pilot had radioed in the wrong code for his battle group, but it certainly didn't help the man's blood pressure.

After the war, the United States received the Wessel in war reparations.

Interesting Story. --Cooter