August 2014 - Argghhh!

After my previous post... On the plus side of the President's martial credentials - while I haven't done the math, I do believe President Obama will hold the record for awarding Medals of Honor not earned on his watch, snatching that crown from President Bush the Younger. And might well be second only to FDR in total number of awards granted under his tenure. That's not snark, by the way, just observation. One reason this President has so many is his predecessor allowed his SecDefs to...

Episode 430,238,982* On the left, a rubber bullet (more properly called a "baton round"). On the right, a tungsten anti-armor penetrator. Both have very different impact characteristics when striking humans or tanks, despite the apparent similarities. They do not make good earplugs, however. Squares in the background are approximately one inch.

So, trying to please Academic Ronin, I gather up some rifles, a box to use as a prop, and the camera. And I take some pictures. Then I put everything away, sit down at the computer, pull the SD card and slap it into the machine. And pull over the pictures and open them up in Photoshop. Only to find I should have looked at the pictures as I took them. The Nikon can do that. Because, well, I fiddled with settings a couple of weeks ago, trying to better understand what the camera was capable of. What...

We open today with the Battle of Front Royal, VA, in 1864, and two fellows who together snatched the colors of the 3d Virginia. LESLIE, FRANK Rank and organization: Private, Company B, 4th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Front Royal, Va., 15 August 1864. Entered service at: ------. Birth: England. Date of issue: 26 August 1864. Citation: Capture of colors of 3d Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.). MANDY, HARRY J. Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company B, 4th New York Cavalry. Place and date:...

Today was a quiet one for the Medal until 1952, in Korea. Hospital Corpsman Kilmer exemplifies the reason all combat veterans revere the medics. *KILMER, JOHN E. Rank and organization: Hospital Corpsman, U.S. Navy, attached to duty as a medical corpsman with a Marine rifle company in the 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Korea, 13 August 1952. Entered service at: Houston, Tex. Born: 15 August 1930, Highland Park, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life...

Today the Medal first appears during the tail end of the Indian Campaigns with some Buffalo Soldiers from the 9th Cavalry. Sergeant Jordan is cited for his conduct in two separate fights. Today's awards also includes one of the "catch-up" awards made during 2014 stemming from the review of the possible impacts of racism in the awards process.

The Medal didn't surface on this day in history until the Vietnam War. *WHEAT, ROY M. Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company K, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 11 August 1967. Entered service at Jackson, Miss. Born: 24 July 1947, Moselle, Miss. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. L/Cpl. Wheat and 2 other marines were assigned the mission of...

Today we open with the Civil War, and one of the opening battles - this one being nearly a local one to the Castle - Wilson's Creek, near Springfield, Missouri. Wilson's Creek was a saga of opportunities lost or squandered by both sides, and in microcosm displayed the fissures that would eventually doom the southern cause in Missouri and Arkansas - the squabbles amongst the generals. The Federals lost an able general when Lyons was killed, and saddled with a mediocre one in Franz Sigel -...