So Sorry to See It Come to This: Woke and Cancel Culture Hits Columbus, Washington and Lincoln & Others

From the Feb. 18, 2021, Chicago Tribune "Columbus, Washington and Lincoln statues up for review" by Gregory Pratt.

Images on List of 41 Controversial Monuments in City.  That would be Chicago.

It is bad enough that some of us have to live with the Confederadication Thing, but now this.  I figured if they could now go after Confederate stuff that would open up attacks on a myriad of things and it sure has.

Statues of Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and William McKinley, as well as the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, were among the 41 public statues in Chicago on a list from the mayor's administration that are in for further review as part of "a racial healing and historical reckoning project" started last summer.

Other ones on the list (well, let's call it what it is, a HIT LIST) include statues of President  Ulysses S. Grant. a Benjamin Franklin statue, a police memorial tied to the Haymarket Riot and a statue of Leif Ericson at Humboldt Park.

--CootWoke?  Don't Think So.

Luigi Pierpaoli. Andrea Doria Survivor Dies of Coranavirus-- Part 2

Mr. Pierpaoli was jolted awake by the sound of the crash.  It was dark, and he was wearing just his undergarments, but was able to scramble out of bed to help other passengers  get into the lifeboats.

The wreck was 45 miles south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts and is considered one of our nation's most dramatic maritime events since the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

His older brother, Rino, was waiting for him when a rescue ship brought him to the harbor.  All his luggage was lost.

Meanwhile, back in Italy, his wife didn't know what had happened to him and lived through some terrifying time before finding out he was alright.  Fortunately, the Andrea Doria was near port when it happened.  Had it been further out to sea it could have been much worse.

Luigi sent for his wife and two young children in May 1958.  They arrived by ship at New York and took a train to Chicago.

Lived In Two Historic Events.

Luigi Pierpaoli, 1956 Andrea Doria Disaster Survivor, Dies from COVID-19-- Part 1

From the April 24, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus."

The Tribune is running a full page featuring these most deaths every day now.  It honors them and others who have died.

LUIGI PIERPAOLI, 96

Died April 6 of complications of the virus.

Survived one of the nation's most famous maritime disasters as passenger on the doomed Italian ocean liner Andrea Doria in 1956.  Afterwards, he rarely spoke of it.  His son, Maurizio said, "You had to pry it out of him.  He never went on a large boat again and has been scared of water ever since."

In 1956, he followed his older brother and came to the United States leaving his family behind until he could get established.  He booked passage on the ill-fated Andrea Doria in the summer of 1956.  As it approached New York, it collided with the passenger ship Stockholm and sank with 51 casualties between the two ships.

(The Stockholm is still afloat and taking on passengers, although this is supposed to be the last year of its operation.)

--Cooter

Deaths: Charles Sanna-- Part 4: Parents Were Italian Immigrants, Served in WW II

Charles Albert Sanna was born in Philadelphia on Nov. 9,1917.  Both parents were Italian immigrants.  His father came to the U.S. at age 13 and later managed a dairy company in Philadelphia, and ice cream company in Washington and a gelatin operation in Chicago.

The family eventually settled in Madison, Wisconsin where Charles graduated high school and attended the University of Wisconsin and received a degree in mechanical engineering in 1939.  He joined the Navy two years later and rose through the ranks to become a superintendent of submarine construction at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine.

While there, he met Margaret "Peggy" McGee and they married in 1946.

After WW II, Sanna's father convinced him to join the family dairy business, then known as Sanna Dairy Engineers.  This proved crucial to the company as he designed a 60-foot-tall stainless steel dryer in Menominee  that powdered milk and died eggs.

Even though his postwar career was mostly involved with dairy, he never forgot the men who served on his submarines during the war.  I'll write about that in my Tattooed On Your Soul: World War II blog later today.

--Cooter

The Interesting Story of Col. Eugene Lietensdorfer-- Part 1: Member of the Austrian and French Armies

Still from the Small Wars Journal on the First Barbary War.

This was a man of many, many stories indeed.

He was William Eaton's chief of staff during the march on Derna.  Eaton had met Lietensdorfer in Cairo.  But how Lietensdorfer  had come to be in Cairo is an interesting story in itself.

His real name  was Gervasso Prodasio Santuari and he was 33 years old Italian from a village  near Trent in the Tyrol.  His parents had wanted him to become a priest but he quit school at the age of seventeen, got married, and then joined the Austrian Army in its campaign against the Turks.

He fought at Belgrade from 1789 to 1790. and continued serving in the Austrian Army  during the siege of Mantua.  But in 1797, the Austrian collapsed, surrendering to Napoleon.

Santuari did not wish to remain with the losers, so he changed his name to Carlo  Hossando and joined the French Army.

A Man of Two Armies.  --Cooter

WW I Ending-- Part 5: Austria-Hungary Signs Armistice, Kaiser's Government Collpases

NOVEMBER 3, 1918

Austria-Hungary, Germany's only remaining ally, signs armistice with Italy, leaving Germany alone.

NOVEMBER 8, 1918

At Compiegne, France, six representatives of the German government are presented with armistice terms by the Allied Supreme Commander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch.  The terms include the Germans leaving all occupied lands, the Allied occupation of Germany west of the Rhine River, surrender of weaponry, including all submarines and battleships and indefinite  continuation of the naval blockade.

NOVEMBER 9, 1918

The Kaiser's Imperial government collapses in ruin as the German Republic is proclaimed with Friedrich Ebert heading the new provisional government.  Kaiser Wilhelm seeks refuge in Holland.

It's About Over.  --Cooter

WW I: October 24 to Nov. 4: The Battle of Vittorio Veneto in Italy

ITALY:  BATTLE OF VITTORIO VENETO

October 24 to November 4, 1918

The U.S. 332nd Infantry Regiment's (83rd Infantry Division) 2nd Battalion defeats Austrians at Gravo di Papdopoli on November 3,

Armistice in Italy is declared on November 4 --  one week before the more famous one in France.

--Cooter

WWW I, September 1918: The Fortunes of War Turn for the Allies

SEPTEMBER 15-OCTOBER 15

Limey Defensive Sector.  U.S. losses 466 Killed in Action, 1,036 Wounded in Action.

SEPTEMBER 16

Italy.  Company E, 332nd Infantry Regiment, goes to the front near the Varage salient along the Piave River.

SEPTEMBER 17

U.S. troops consolidate their Meuse Heights-Moselle River Line by capturing Ronvaux, Monheulles, Pintheville, Haumont and Hatton Charel.

Later, the line stretches from the Forges on the Meuse River to the center of the Argonne Forest.

SEPTEMBER 17- NOVEMBER 11

Puvenell Defensive Sector.  U>S> casualties:  658 Killed in Action, 2.020 Wounded in Action.

--Cooter

There Was Another Armistice Ending Fighting in WW I: Armistice of Villa Giusti

While researching the 332nd U.S. Infantry Regiment, I came across an armistice between Italy and Austria-Hungary that ended fighting in the Italian Front a week before the better known 11th hour of the 11th month one ended fighting between Germany and the Allies.  See my July 25 entry in this blog.

From Wikipedia.

The Armistice of Villa Giusti ended fighting between the forces of Italy and Austria-Hungary on the Italian Front during World War I.  It was signed 3 November 1918, to take effect 24-hours later at 3 p.m. 4 November.

By the end of October 1918, the Austria-Hungarian Army was extremely fatigued and tired of the fighting, forcing its leaders to seek a cease-fire.  The Vittorio-Venito Offensive at the end of October sealed its fate as Austrian-Hungarian soldiers withdrew chaotically.

Even though the armistice was to start 3 November, Austrian-Hungarian commanders ordered their men to stop fighting 3 November.

--Cooter

Doughboys of 332nd Regt. to Italy-- Part 2: Vittoria-Venito Offensive

The American pilots served with Italian bombardment groups on bombing raids behind Austrian lines and were especially active during the  Vittorio-Venito Offensive.

The principal mission of the Americans was to build up Italian morale and depress the enemy's by making them think large numbers of Americans were getting ready to join the battle lines in Italy.  The 332nd first was given time to learn methods of mountain fighting which comprised a greater part of operations in the Italian theater of operations.

Moved up to the front lines, the 332nd stages constant movements during the day for Austrians to see, then went back at night and did it again, the next day.

They took part in the Vittorio-Venito Offensive 24 October-4 November 1918 in which Austrian troops were pushed back until an armistice was signed at 3 p.m. November 4, ending the fighting between the Austrian-Hungarians and Italians.

The unit was involved in peacekeeping duties after that until the 332nd was disbanded in 1919.

--Cooter

WW I Chronology, Doughboys to Italy, July 25, 1918-- Part 1

JULY 25, 1918

United States Doughboys of the 332nd Infantry Regiment arrive in Italy.

Three days later, the U.S. 331st  Field Hospital lands.

From Wikipedia 332nd Infantry Regiment, U.S..

The 332nd was formed  at Camp Sherman, Ohio, 30 August 1917 and was part of the 82nd Infantry Division.  They arrived in Europe in June 1918 and after going to France were told they were going to go to Italy.  They arrived there in July at the urgent request of the Italian government

In addition to them, 30 American ambulance sections, a base hospital and 54 pilots.

--DaCoot

Second Battle of the Marne July 18 to August 6, 1918: Began 100 Years Ago

The previous post mentioned this battle as the Aisne-Marne Offensive.

This was the last major German offensive on the Western Front during World War I.  The attack failed when an Allied counterattack, supported by several hundred tanks, overwhelmed the Germans on their right flank, inflicting many casualties.

The German defeat marked the beginning of the relentless Allied advance that resulting in the Armistice with  Germany about 100 days later.

There were, on the Allied side, 44 French, 8 American, 4 British and 2 Italian divisions,408 heavy guns, 360 field batteries and 346 tanks,

German strength:  52 divisions, 609 heavy guns and 1,047 field batteries

CASUALTIES:

France:  95,165 dead or wounded
Britain:  16,552 dead or wounded
USA:  12,00 dead or wounded
Italy:  9,00 dead or wounded

GERMAN CASUALTIES:

139,000 dead or wounded, 29,367 captured, 793 guns lost

Some Jawdropping Numbers.  --DaCoot

World War I Chronology, June 1918-- Part 5: Doughboys to Italy

JUNE 28, 1918

The first contingent of U.S. troops arrives in Italy.

Doughboys are sent to bolster Italian morale on the Austro-Hungarian Front.

Units eventually committed here were the 332nd Infantry Regiment, 331st Field Hospital, American Ambulance Service and Army/Navy aviators.

--Cooter

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

About That War 100 Years Ago-- Part 3: Forming Alliances

Italy, since her unification, would extend her boundaries to include Italian-speaking peoples to the north and east;  Austria-Hungary, cut off from expansion to the west, looked upon the Balkans as a normal region for expansion and thus came into conflict with Russia.

Obviously, there was enough tinder here for a dozen conflagrations, and it is amazing that, with the exception of the Balkans, Europe maintained peace over a long period.

For this period of peace, Germany was primarily responsible.  Wedged in between hostile nations and anxious to maintain the status quo in Europe, she constructed in 1882 the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy.

To protect herself, France achieved an alliance with Russia in the early nineties and a close understanding with Great Britain, while the later attempted to iron out her conflicting imperialistic rivalries with Russia and Japan.

Just Waiting for a Spark.  --CootWar

Melting Italian Glacier reveals Dead from World War I

From the October 2, 2012, Gadling "Retreating Italian Glacier Reveals Dead From World War I" by Sean McLachlan.

Two bodies were discovered on an Italian mountain at Presena Glacier in the Treino-Alto Adige region of the Dolmites at 9,850 feet.

The bodies are believed to have been from an artillery unit of the Austro-Hungarian Army killed in 1918.

The skeletons were identified by remnants of uniform and insignia.  Their names have not been found.

During the war, Italians fought the Austro-Hungarian troops in the bitter cold mountain tops.

A favorite tactic of both sides was to fire artillery shells above enemy positions and start avalanches, which is most likely what happened to this pair.

--Cooter

21 Great McDonald's Meals You Can't Get in the U.S.-- Part 3

Next time you're overseas, don't stay away from McDonald's figuring you can just eat their food at home. Foreign McDonald's feature an array of things you can't get here and a whole lot of the ones I'm writing about are definitely something I would try.

9. MATCHA McFLURRY-- Singapore and Japan. Green tea powder for a green color and topped with heaps of Oreo bits.

10.. SNACK AL PARMIGIANO-- Italy. Instead of a side of fries, it is an individually wrapped bar of Parmesan cheese.

11. CHEESE KATSU BURGER-- Japan. Melted cheese inside of fried pork cutlets with sliced cabbage and sweet and sour sauce served on a sesame seed bun.

12. BABUR AYAM McD-- Malaysia. Breakfast treat porridge, chicken strips, spring onions, sliced ginger, fried shallots and dice cjillies.

Making Me Hungry. --CootHun

Mustard Gas at Bari, Italy, World War II-- Part 1

Yesterday, I wrote about the mustard gas at Bari, Italy, in the Ten Things You Might Not Know About World War II. I must admit that I didn't know. Here is some more information from Wikipedia.

Bari, Italy has the unfortunate experience of being the only European city to be involved in chemical warfare during the war. And it wasn't the case of one side using it on the other.

Bari had become a major supply depot for Allied forces as they pushed their way up the Italian peninsula. The mustard gas was aboard the US Liberty Ship John Harvey and was in Italy in case Germany started using their chemical weapons. On December 2, 1943, German Junkers JU 88 bombers attacked the port.

The existence of the mustard gas was highly classified and the physicians treating the victims did not know what they were dealing with which led to higher casualties.

It is not known for sure how many deaths were attributed to the mustard gas or the attack itself. One reason is because the Allied leaders, FDR, Churchill, and Eisenhower ordered the records destroyed.

It is known that 69 deaths occurred, mostly merchant seamen (and they still are not recognized as veterans of the war!!). Others believe that as many as a thousand Americans died and an equal number of Italian civilians.

It has been called "Little Pearl Harbor." Two books have been written about it.

And I Never Heard of It. --Cooter