It really is a mixed bag.
In 1943, the
Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse came to a successful conclusion on Guadalcanal, causing the Japanese to initiate Operation Ke, to evacuate the remaining troops of the Japanese 17th Army. Hard fighting continued, and there were several sharp naval engagements, but to all intents and purposes, Guadalcanal was a done deal.
Elsewhere in the Pacific,
the joint Australian - United States Papua Campaign also came to a successful conclusion. Combined with Guadalcanal, and the earlier naval battles at Midway and Coral Sea, the Japanese tide is starting to ebb.
Okay, that's it for the good news.
In 1968,
the NorKs captured the USS Pueblo, which remains on the active rolls of the US Navy, and is one of the longest serving vessels in the Navy. She is the only commissioned Navy vessel held
by hostile hands. The crew of Pueblo,
under the leadership of Commander Lloyd Bucher, gave us a good example of passive resistance. One wonders, in this day of brutal media competition, the internet and blogs, if we bloggers could keep our typing fingers stilled, so as not to give it away to the captors? And would the tame retired generals in the cable stable be able to keep their yaps shut? I rather doubt it.
To wrap up the bad news, on this day in 1973,
President Nixon announced peace was at hand in Vietnam. Two years later I watched the Auld Soldier as he watched the Saigon Embassy evacuation on television. Not a good day.
And I rather suspect some other kid is going to have a similar experience with their mother or father regarding Afghanistan.
Read the complete post at http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2013/01/bleah_day_in_hi_1.html
Posted
Jan 23 2013, 04:56 AM
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Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys..