World War II Names Still In Our Vocabulary - The U-Boat 505

During the days I travelled here and there as a systems consultant, one of my favorite cities to visit was Chicago. I always made time to see a performance of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, especially if Brahms was on the playbill. Being an irrepressible train watcher, I was in seventh heaven visiting the greatest rail center in the United States. The steaks were mouth watering, plentiful, and great. Doing the bar scene on Rush Street was a nightly misadventure and I tried my best to stay out... Read more »

World War II Names Still In Our Vocabulary Part Four - The Bloody Iwo Jima Memorial

The Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia is the reproduction of the Joe Rosenthal photograph taken after the capture of Mount Suribachi. This was the highest point of land on Iwo Jima. The flag raising symbolized the capture of the volcanic ash island. This flag raising was the second of two such symbolic capture photographs. The first one was scarcely noticable, so the Marine commanders sent a second detail of troops up to the Suribachi summit to re-enact the first flag raising. Although... Read more »

World War II Names Still In Our Vocabulary -Part One - The Lenin Mausoleum

Almost seventy years have elapsed since the beginning of World War II. This was the bloodiest conflict our global world has ever endured. Almost every country throughout the world lost millions upon millions of its population. There has never been a war fought on such a massive scale as the Second World War. It is doubtful if such a war will ever be fought again. If it ever happens, it will mean the total destruction of our world. The Lenin Mausoleum is the first of a series of articles that... Read more »

A History Of The Battle Dress Uniform

I signed my first Army contract in 1985, and over that time, one of the things I was most used to was the BDU, or Battle Dress Uniform. This is the uniform with a hunter style camouflage that most can close their eyes and envision when they think of the US Army. This uniform was adopted in 1981, with a four-color pattern with two green shades, brown and black. It came in two weights, temperate and winter, and saw minor changes in the color, waist tabs and stitching over the years. There were... Read more »

World War II Names Still In Our Vocabulary - Part Three - The Blitz

This is the third of a series of articles that document some of the names, places, catch words, and other items that are now lodged permanently in our vocabulary, History was made some 68 years ago. We dare not forget. From July to February, the name of the game is football. It starts with the exhibition season and ends with the Super Bowl extravaganza. Out of World War II has come a term about which which we all know. It is called The Blitz. The blitz is a team defensive move in which the defense... Read more »

Top 10 Signs Your Addicted to eBay

There are literally millions of people that are striving each and everyday to make an easy buck online. The idea of making money online and especially, making money on eBay, is not new. In fact, the eBay market is a little too saturated if you ask me. With all the nail-biting, finger-clawing, head to head competition for bids on eBay, I thought it would be nice to take a step back and poke some fun at the eBay rush. Below is a list of the top 10 signs that your addicted to eBay. Anyone that uses,... Read more »

Chateau D’Annecy: The Little Castle That Could

In the 13th century, having been forced from their comfortable homes at Lake Leman, the Counts of Geneva fled from a hostile situation into the town of Annecy, France. As early as the 12th century, Annecy had been privilege to a small measure of fortifications, however with the arrival of the Counts - who took over the fortifications as their new home - several new towers and wings were built onto the fortifications, creating what is known today as Le Chateau D’Annecy. Although many portions... Read more »

The Story Of U.S. Navy In The Battle Of Guadalcanal

The Navy is a branch of the military that defends the United States by sea. In November of 1942 they were called upon to defend it from the Japanese. Since Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 the United States had suffered from a shortage of battleships. The battle of Guadalcanal is very important in history as it signified the end of the Pacific War with the United States walking away the victor. Yet this victory was not one that happened easily. The long battle that ensued resulted in the loss... Read more »

The Story Of The U.S. Marines On Iwo Jima

The battle of Iwo Jima took place between the United States and Japan in 1945, but it was no ordinary battle. The Japanese warriors went in knowing they would not come back out alive from the tunnels they had built. Yet each warrior had a specific mission - to kill at least 10 U.S. Marines before they were killed. The battle took place over the island of Iwo Jima that belonged to Japan. The United States wanted control of it because it was between the bomber bases of the U.S. and Japan. The controversy... Read more »

The Real Battle Of The Bulge: WWII

No, I’m not talking about weight loss. The Battle of the Bulge, known to the Allied military forces as The Battle of Ardennes, was the bloodiest battle of World War II, and one of the most horrific encounters in the history of modern warfare. The German plan was for this battle, along with three others (known to the Germans as Bodenplatte, Greif, and Wahrung) to sever the Allied line, splitting their forces in two, capturing Antwerp, Belgium, and destroying four Allied armies. The operations... Read more »