With Veterans Day coming up here are links to Balladeer’s Blog’s many World War One posts over the years.
ELEVEN MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS FROM WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
AMERICAN FLYING ACE J.M. SWAAB – CLICK HERE
NEGLECTED U.S. NAVAL BATTLES OF WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
VINTAGE SCI-FI ABOUT WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
SEVEN AMERICAN FLYING ACES OF WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
SGT YORK OF WORLD WAR ONE – HERE Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog features one last Veterans Day post for 2020. In keeping with my blog’s theme I will take a look at more military actions that don’t get the attention that others do. Here is a look at U.S. Navy battles of the First World War.
OCTOBER 15th, 1917 – America entered the war just six months earlier and the Navy had been transporting the American Expeditionary Force under General “Black Jack” Pershing to Europe, with additional Navy craft escorting those transport ships and fighting German U-Boats. On this date the USS Cassin encountered U-Boat 61 and, after an hour’s pursuit the German submarine turned to fight the Cassin. After a lengthy exchange of torpedoes and depth charges the Cassin was battered but still afloat, while the U-61 suffered substantial damage also, including the destruction of its conning tower, forcing the sub to break off the action and flee.
NOVEMBER 17th, 1917 – The USS Fanning and USS Nicholson clashed with the German U-Boat designated U-58 when eagle-eyed sailors spotted the German sub’s periscope above the water line. Depth charges from the two U.S. ships damaged the U-58 and forced it to surface and engage in standard ship-to-ship combat. The Fanning and Nicholson sank the U-Boat, becoming the FIRST United States ships to Continue reading
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Happy Veterans Day, formerly called Armistice Day since it marked the end of World War One on “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918. Here are six books on that often neglected conflict. (I will omit Barbara Tuchman’s Guns of August because of how well-known it already is.)
THE HAT IN THE RING GANG: THE COMBAT HISTORY OF THE 94th AERO SQUADRON IN WORLD WAR ONE – Written by Charles Woolley, this excellent book covers America’s 94th Aero Squadron aka The Hat in the Ring Gang.
When it comes to Flying Aces of World War One the Americans in the Lafayette Escadrille get the lion’s share of the attention. That’s ironic since Eddie Rickenbacker, America’s greatest ace of the war, served in the Hat in the Ring Gang along with many other famous paladins of the skies. To buy it click HERE
DOUGHBOY WAR: THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN WORLD WAR I – Written/ edited by James H Hallas. I feel this book is perfect for people who are just diving into World War One and don’t want inundated with all of the overwhelming details of more involved works. Doughboy War covers every aspect of American soldiers’ experiences in the Great War, often in their own words.
Follow them from enlistment, training and crossing the Atlantic to facing action in Europe, including accounts of the ordeals faced by wounded Doughboys. To buy it click HERE Continue reading
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Happy Veterans Day from Balladeer’s Blog! In keeping with the whole “Eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” tradition here are eleven World War One figures who were awarded the Medal of Honor.
J HUNTER WICKERSHAM
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant, US Army
Site: Limey, France on September 12th, 1918
Citation: Advancing with his platoon during the St. Mihiel offensive, he was severely wounded in 4 places by the bursting of a high-explosive shell. Before receiving any aid for himself he dressed the wounds of his orderly, who was wounded at the same time.
He then ordered and accompanied the further advance of his platoon, although weakened by the loss of blood. His right hand and arm being disabled by wounds, he continued to fire his revolver with his left hand until, exhausted by loss of blood, he fell and died from his wounds before aid could be administered.
JAKE ALLEX
Rank: Corporal, US Army
Site: Chipilly Ridge, France on August 9th, 1918
Citation: At a critical point in the action, when all the officers with his platoon had become casualties, Cpl. Allex took command of the platoon and led it forward until the advance was stopped by fire from a machinegun nest.
He then advanced alone for about 30 yards in the face of intense fire and attacked the nest. With his bayonet he killed 5 of the enemy, and when it was broken, used the butt of his rifle, capturing 15 prisoners.
FRANK MONROE UPTON
Rank: Quartermaster – US Navy
Site: The USS Florence H on April 17th, 1918 Continue reading
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With Veterans Day approaching here’s another look at some neglected World War One history.
ARTHUR R.”RAY” BROOKS – Captain Ray Brooks graduated from MIT in 1917 and immediately volunteered to serve in the World War that the U.S. had just entered. Brooks got his first 3 kills with the 139th Squadron and 6 more after transferring to the 22nd Aero Squadron. FOUR of Captain Brooks’ kills came in one dogfight as he tackled a squadron of 8 Fokker planes single-handedly. Seriously.
In addition to those kills Ray Brooks had 4 more probables and went on to win the Distinguished Service Cross. He was nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor but was not confirmed for it, unfortunately. Brooks flew a Smith IV Spad XIII. Continue reading
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Well, it’s been ONE HUNDRED YEARS since November 11th, 1918 saw the end of World War One, or the Great War as it was called before anyone knew a second global conflict would occur. As we all know the date eventually became designated as the day for honoring the people who make it possible for the rest of us to lead our lives in relative safety.
Irrational political partisans often forget that the only reason any of them have the luxury of sitting back and making pompous, self-righteous pronouncements is because of the men and women who go out and actually DO something. Continue reading
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This Veterans Day, November 11th, will be the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. Here is a look at four Americans who met their death during that conflict.
CHARLES AUSBURNE
Ausburne joined the United States Navy February 25th, 1908 and had risen to the rank of Electrician First Class by the time of his death on October 17th, 1917. Charles was serving on the Antilles, which was sunk by torpedoes fired by the German U-Boat U-105.
Ausburne stayed at his post manning the vessel’s emergency wireless station while the ship slipped beneath the waves. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. Two naval craft were named after the 29 year old.
ALBERT E BAESEL
Baesel got his first military experience in peacetime, serving in the Ohio National Guard beginning in 1912 when he was 22. In 1918 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Albert was killed on September 27th, 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. For the details of his death here is the citation for his Medal of Honor: Continue reading
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With Veterans Day coming up AND with it being the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One (when it was called Armistice Day) here are links to Balladeer’s Blog’s many World War One posts over the years.
ELEVEN MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS FROM WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
AMERICAN FLYING ACE J.M. SWAAB – CLICK HERE
NEGLECTED U.S. NAVAL BATTLES OF WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
VINTAGE SCI-FI ABOUT WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
SEVEN AMERICAN FLYING ACES OF WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
FLYBOYS (2006) – CLICK HERE
SGT YORK OF WORLD WAR ONE – HERE Continue reading
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Balladeer’s Blog wrings down the curtain on Veterans Day of 2017 with this item. In keeping with the whole “Eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” tradition here are eleven World War One figures who were awarded the Medal of Honor.
J HUNTER WICKERSHAM
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant, US Army
Site: Limey, France on September 12th, 1918
Citation: Advancing with his platoon during the St. Mihiel offensive, he was severely wounded in 4 places by the bursting of a high-explosive shell. Before receiving any aid for himself he dressed the wounds of his orderly, who was wounded at the same time.
He then ordered and accompanied the further advance of his platoon, although weakened by the loss of blood. His right hand and arm being disabled by wounds, he continued to fire his revolver with his left hand until, exhausted by loss of blood, he fell and died from his wounds before aid could be administered.
JAKE ALLEX
Rank: Corporal, US Army
Site: Chipilly Ridge, France on August 9th, 1918
Citation: At a critical point in the action, when all the officers with his platoon had become casualties, Cpl. Allex took command of the platoon and led it forward until the advance was stopped by fire from a machinegun nest.
He then advanced alone for about 30 yards in the face of intense fire and attacked the nest. With his bayonet he killed 5 of the enemy, and when it was broken, used the butt of his rifle, capturing 15 prisoners.
FRANK MONROE UPTON
Rank: Quartermaster – US Navy
Site: The USS Florence H on April 17th, 1918 Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History
Happy Veterans Day!
Well, it’s been nearly 100 years since November 11th, 1918 saw the end of World War One, or the Great War as it was called before anyone knew a second global conflict would occur. As we all know the date eventually became designated as the day for honoring the people who make it possible for the rest of us to lead our lives in relative safety.
Irrational political partisans often forget that the only reason any of them have the luxury of sitting back and making pompous, self-righteous pronouncements is because of the men and women who go out and actually DO something.
And those men and women do it even though they know that Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History
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