Friday, August 31, 2012
Seventy Years Ago: Saratoga Torpedoed - Again
August 31, 1942, east of the Southern Solomons, Japanese submarine I-26 put a torpedo into USS Saratoga's starboard side. The 888-foot carrier tried to avoid the torpedo, but couldn't turn in time.
The explosion damaged one of the electrical switchboards and shorted out the ship's turbo-electric propulsion system. By early afternoon, the electricians had jury-rigged enough power to drive the ship at ten knots toward a repair anchorage at Tongatapu. Two weeks later, she left Tongatapu and on 21 September pulled into the Pearl Harbor shipyard for more permanent repairs. She returned to the Solomons area in November.
This was the second time Saratoga had been put out of action by Japanese submarine torpedoes.
The explosion damaged one of the electrical switchboards and shorted out the ship's turbo-electric propulsion system. By early afternoon, the electricians had jury-rigged enough power to drive the ship at ten knots toward a repair anchorage at Tongatapu. Two weeks later, she left Tongatapu and on 21 September pulled into the Pearl Harbor shipyard for more permanent repairs. She returned to the Solomons area in November.
This was the second time Saratoga had been put out of action by Japanese submarine torpedoes.
Seventy Years Ago: Overseas Movement
By 1942, America's total miles of railroad had declined slightly from the peak of 1910, but still there were nearly 250,000 miles of rail.
By late August, the soldiers making up the 27th Air Depot Group thought their troop train had covered most of that distance as they wound back and forth, north to south and east to west from Mobile, Alabama to the West Coast.
The rail cars lacked air conditioning. To get a breath of ventilation, the soldiers had to lower the windows. What they breathed in was not fresh air, but air mingled with the sulphurous smell of either coal or barely processed fuel oil that burned in the locomotives. From time to time the troop train pulled into a siding to make way for a freight train with high priority munitions or other machines of war to pass them by.
The soldiers passed their time as soldiers do, with talk of home and wives and girlfriends. For entertainment they played poker and rolled dice, hiding their chips or piles of money any time an officer was spotted walking through the cars. They were seldom interrupted. By the time the train huffed its way down the western side of the High Sierra, there was little mystery about the cards that were dealt. They had all memorized the irregular spots on the backs.
No officer had yet disclosed the group's ultimate destination, but it wasn't hard to guess. The Philippines had fallen, as had Guam. None had heard of New Caledonia, but they knew of Australia. Guadalcanal was in the news, but that was a navy and marine corps show. None had heard of New Guinea, but they knew of the Coral Sea and Midway.
It must be Australia.
By late August, the soldiers making up the 27th Air Depot Group thought their troop train had covered most of that distance as they wound back and forth, north to south and east to west from Mobile, Alabama to the West Coast.
The rail cars lacked air conditioning. To get a breath of ventilation, the soldiers had to lower the windows. What they breathed in was not fresh air, but air mingled with the sulphurous smell of either coal or barely processed fuel oil that burned in the locomotives. From time to time the troop train pulled into a siding to make way for a freight train with high priority munitions or other machines of war to pass them by.
The soldiers passed their time as soldiers do, with talk of home and wives and girlfriends. For entertainment they played poker and rolled dice, hiding their chips or piles of money any time an officer was spotted walking through the cars. They were seldom interrupted. By the time the train huffed its way down the western side of the High Sierra, there was little mystery about the cards that were dealt. They had all memorized the irregular spots on the backs.
No officer had yet disclosed the group's ultimate destination, but it wasn't hard to guess. The Philippines had fallen, as had Guam. None had heard of New Caledonia, but they knew of Australia. Guadalcanal was in the news, but that was a navy and marine corps show. None had heard of New Guinea, but they knew of the Coral Sea and Midway.
It must be Australia.
Jim Hightower
I really miss Molly Ivins, but at least we still have Jim Hightower. I just came across his web site by accident and felt I must share it. Here it is.
Seventy Years Ago: Northern Exposure
August 30, 1942 - US Army lands on the Island of Adak in the Aleutians, to build a seaplane base. Adak is 250 miles from the Japanese-occupied Aleutian island of Kiska.
Here is a picture of the base in about 1943 with Mount Moffitt in the background.
In the 1960's, Navy Construction Battalions (SeaBees) visited the island each summer
to remove the quonset huts. This wasn't as easy as you might think.
Here is a picture of the base in about 1943 with Mount Moffitt in the background.
In the 1960's, Navy Construction Battalions (SeaBees) visited the island each summer
to remove the quonset huts. This wasn't as easy as you might think.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Gasoline Prices
There was some discussion this evening of gasoline prices. The only price that matters is the price adjusted for inflation. Here is a chart of inflation-adjusted gasoline prices and nominal prices (that is, what it says on the pump, not adjusted for inflation) since 1918.
Historical Note: Prices from 1942 to 1946 were Set By Office Of Price Administration. Gasoline Was Strictly Rationed - DRC
Historical Note: Prices from 1942 to 1946 were Set By Office Of Price Administration. Gasoline Was Strictly Rationed - DRC
Election Starts Next Week
I just received an e-mail reminding me that we only have two months until the election.
That's wrong.
Once upon a time in America, voting took place on election day - the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Absentee voting was rare, obstructed by many hurdles.
No longer.
In North Carolina, it is easy to request an absentee ballot. Ballots will be mailed out next Friday (or as soon thereafter as final approved ballots are printed).
Once a voter receives the ballot, that voter can complete and mail the ballot any time. That's the last chance for parties and candidates to persuade that voter.
Registration for voters to cast ballots on election day (November 6) ends October 12.
Early voting runs from October 18 to November 3.
Election is no longer a day - it is a process.
It begins next week.
That's wrong.
Once upon a time in America, voting took place on election day - the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Absentee voting was rare, obstructed by many hurdles.
No longer.
In North Carolina, it is easy to request an absentee ballot. Ballots will be mailed out next Friday (or as soon thereafter as final approved ballots are printed).
Once a voter receives the ballot, that voter can complete and mail the ballot any time. That's the last chance for parties and candidates to persuade that voter.
Registration for voters to cast ballots on election day (November 6) ends October 12.
Early voting runs from October 18 to November 3.
Election is no longer a day - it is a process.
It begins next week.
Federal Court Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law
This just in - a three judge federal judicial panel has struck down Texas' new photo ID law. Here is a summary of the decision as reported in the New York Times.
"In its unanimous 56-page ruling, the federal judges found that the fees and the cost of traveling for those voters lacking one of the five forms of ID disproportionately affected the poor and minorities. “Moreover, while a 200 to 250 mile trip to and from a D.P.S. office would be a heavy burden for any prospective voter, such a journey would be especially daunting for the working poor,” the decision read"
"In its unanimous 56-page ruling, the federal judges found that the fees and the cost of traveling for those voters lacking one of the five forms of ID disproportionately affected the poor and minorities. “Moreover, while a 200 to 250 mile trip to and from a D.P.S. office would be a heavy burden for any prospective voter, such a journey would be especially daunting for the working poor,” the decision read"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
