Category:
Military
Military
The Radioactive Pup of Bikini Atoll
Operation Crossroads page at Wikipedia.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Mar 30, 2024 -
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Category: Military, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, Dogs, 1940s, South Pacific
The Avrocar Military Flying Saucer
If only this project had succeeded, we'd all have Jetson-style flying saucers today!Here is the Wikipedia page.
But I do think the version patented by one C. P. Lent right around the same time has a classier shape.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 25, 2024 -
Comments (1)
Category: Flight, Military, Technology, Patents, 1950s
Accidentally dropped into shark-infested water
"Instead of arriving by staff car, or even helicopter, his favourite manner of inspecting a unit was to drop by parachute, arm at the salute, as he touched down."
However, this nearly ended in disaster recently when Bigeard, nearing 60, was inadvertently dropped into a shark infested sea while visiting troops in Madagascar. He broke an arm and was saved only when his faithful staff threw themselves into the seas after him.
However, this nearly ended in disaster recently when Bigeard, nearing 60, was inadvertently dropped into a shark infested sea while visiting troops in Madagascar. He broke an arm and was saved only when his faithful staff threw themselves into the seas after him.
More info about Marcel Bigeard: wikipedia
The book referenced in the clipping below is viewable on archive.org.
London Daily Telegraph - Nov 9, 1977
Marcel Bigeard. Image source: zone militaire
Posted By: Alex - Thu Oct 12, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Accidents, Military, 1970s
Portable Asbestos Cottage
Source: A. Leonard Summers, Asbestos and the Asbestos Industry - the world's most wonderful mineral (1931).
Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 21, 2023 -
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Category: Architecture, Military, Firefighting, Arson, Wildfires, Infernos and Other Conflagrations
Naked women lure soldiers to death
1970: A strange "military-psychoerotic" stratagem was reported from Cambodia.Apparently there was less concern about the soldiers succumbing to the lure of the women, and more fear that the naked women would render useless the Buddhist talismans that (so the soldiers believed) made them bulletproof.
Sydney Morning Herald - Sep 6, 1970
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jul 06, 2023 -
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Category: Military, War, Nudism and Nudists, 1970s
“Lucky” Fluckey: The Only Submarine Commander Ever to Blow Up a Train
So long as submersible vessels are in the news...His Wikipedia page.
In one of the more unusual incidents in the war, Fluckey sent a landing party ashore to set demolition charges on a coastal railway line, destroying a 16-car train.[4] This was the sole landing by U.S. military forces on the Japanese home islands during World War II. Fluckey ordered that this landing party be composed of crewmen from every division on his submarine. "He chose an eight-man team with no married men to blow up the train," Captain Max Duncan said, who served as Torpedo Officer on the Barb during this time. "He also wanted former Boy Scouts because he thought they could find their way back. They were paddling back to the ship when the train blew up."[5] The selected crewmen were Paul Saunders, William Hatfield, Francis Sever, Lawrence Newland, Edward Klinglesmith, James Richard, John Markuson, and William Walker. Hatfield wired the explosive charge, using a microswitch under the rails to trigger the explosion.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 24, 2023 -
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Category: Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Military, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, War, 1940s, Asia
The Fake Village That Hid a Giant Wartime Plant
See the whole story here, with many more pictures.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 28, 2023 -
Comments (2)
Category: Military, Camouflage, Counterintelligence, Diversions, Chaff and Fakeouts, Industry, Factories and Manufacturing, 1940s
Assault with a chocolate cream pie
1974: Seabee Leon L. Louie explained that the reason he hit his commanding officer in the face with a chocolate cream pie was to boost the morale of his battalion. However, the Navy failed to see the humor in what he had done and court-martialed him.Comedian Soupy Sales testified in Louie's defense, arguing that hitting someone in the face with a cream pie is comedy, not assault. Nevertheless, a jury of five officers found Louie guilty, though they gave him the lighter sentence of demotion, restriction to base, and a fine — rather than a dishonorable discharge.
Muncie Evening Press - Nov 26, 1974
Redding Record-Searchlight - Dec 6, 1974
Tampa Bay Times - Dec 7, 1974
Posted By: Alex - Sun Feb 19, 2023 -
Comments (3)
Category: Military, Misbehavior, Rebellion, Acting-out and General Naughtiness, 1970s, Pranks
Midwatch In Verse
A new book explores the obscure poetic tradition of sailors in the U.S. Navy writing the first deck log of the new year in verse. As explained by the NW Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:For the average person, the deck logs of the U.S. Navy are what Dave Johnson would call mind-numbing and indecipherable.
The records, quasi-legal documents, were a requirement of each ship to note various bits of technical information -- ship speed and direction, even the number of propeller rotations and other things that would only be useful or make sense if you were in the Navy.
But one time of year, sailors were allowed to deviate from the benign record keeping and exhibit creativity with brief storytelling. During the first watch of the New Year, from midnight to 4 a.m., the Officer of the Deck could record in verse.
The records, quasi-legal documents, were a requirement of each ship to note various bits of technical information -- ship speed and direction, even the number of propeller rotations and other things that would only be useful or make sense if you were in the Navy.
But one time of year, sailors were allowed to deviate from the benign record keeping and exhibit creativity with brief storytelling. During the first watch of the New Year, from midnight to 4 a.m., the Officer of the Deck could record in verse.
No one is sure when, or why this tradition began. The earliest known example (reproduced below) dates back to 1926, but the tradition was apparently already well established by then.
More info: midwatch-in-verse.com
| I stand on the deck at midnight As the clocks are striking the hour And I’ll keep the watch until morning To the best of my humble power. We are anchored in Pedro harbor Tho there isn’t much of a lee And why they call it a harbor Is something I never could see But our hook is in hole A seven And our center anchor chain Has forty-five in the hawse pipe And a very gentle strain. When we anchored our trusty leadsman Made a very careful cast Finding eight and a half good fathoms As the bugler blew the blast. And down below in the fire rooms Which the black gang ought to man The steam is blowing bubbles In number seven can. All the battleship divisions Swing nearby on the blue Except the West Virginia And the Mississippi too. The Senior Officer Present Floats peacefully in his sleep On the good ship California The guardian of the deep. At one fifteen Roskelly A pill rolling pharmacist’s mate Returned from his leave on schedule He’s lucky he wasn’t late. That’s all the dope this morning Except, just between us two If the Captain ever sees this log My gawd what will he do? E.V. Dockweiler, Ensign, U. S. Navy |
Posted By: Alex - Fri Jan 20, 2023 -
Comments (4)
Category: Military, Books, Poetry
Dogs in Uniform
For prices starting at around $400 (converted from £330), you can get an oil painting of your dog in uniform.No mention of cats in uniform, but I'm guessing that if you're willing to pay for it, they'd be willing to paint it.
More info: Fabulous Masterpieces
Have you ever considered commissioning a dog portrait in uniform? Take a look at Deef the dog above. His owners really wanted an oil painting of their dog painted as the Count of Monte Cristo. And personally, I think it’s come out really well. In fact our paintings of dogs in uniform or having your dogs in costume have become extremely popular, more so than our dog artists ever thought.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 07, 2023 -
Comments (1)
Category: Art, Military, Dogs
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |