It’s an amazing story that few know about. The SM U-156 had made its way to Nauset Beach, in Cape Cod, and was looking for a target. It was July 21st, 1918, when along came the tug boat Perth Amboy towing barges. What happened next is known as the Attack On Orleans, the first time since the Mexican-American War that United States territory had been fired upon by a foreign power. Watch
18 Comments on 100 Years Ago Today – Cape Cod Shelled By A U-Boat
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If this were to happen today I say we give them a week to stop it. And give them firing solutions for Martha’s Vineyard.
Thank’s for your occasional history lessons Dr. Tar. I personally, always enjoy them.
I watched this the other day over at Knuckle Dragging. I’d never heard of this. Have Kleenex ready.
https://youtu.be/jpt6Bvr2L-s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Russians_Are_Coming,_the_Russians_Are_Coming
Losses of “neutral” shipping, notably the Lusitania, to U Boats was a factor in the United States entry into the Great War.
In the early years of WWII German U Boats inflicted serious damage on shipping from U.S. ports on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Aerial and maritime ASW patrols such as those undertaken by Hemingway had a slight impact as countermeasures.
As during the American Revolution, convoys were organized to provide some protection for materiel in transit to Britain.
Hitler wasn’t fooling around- he damn near took over the world. The combined efforts of Britain, France, Russia and the U.S were barely adequate to stop him.
The cost of the war impoverished Britain, essentially destroying her economy, dismembering her empire and giving Socialism a boost.
Sad to see what has become of Britain in the aftermath, and the relative conditions of the Great Powers.
Sadder still to see the rise of Antifa, based upon the Nazi pattern.
The threat of Islam to world order is no less serious.
But it is of a different nature. It has spread beyond its traditional borders, infiltrating and infecting host countries like a parasite or a cancer. Thanks to suicidal enablers, creeping Sharia has already destroyed several Western nations. And it’s coming to a neighborhood near you.
It will prove extremely difficult to dislodge.
Excellent.
Evidently not enough…
Wasn’t that the basic premise of the movie The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming?
Bad Brad thanks for the moving video. I once witnessed a burial at sea of a high ranking Marine Corps Officer from the portside elevator into the Pacific Ocean, it was very moving and something I’ll never forget. Call me old as well I miss the Victory At Sea videos they used to play on one of our local TV stations at the end of the broadcast day and just before playing the National anthem and signing off into a test pattern till about 5 AM in the morning.
When my dad was in the Army Air Corp, he was stationed on the east coast (don’t remember the base). He was on sentry duty one night when he and the other guards saw a huge explosion out on the ocean. The call came in for them to be extra vigilant because they intercepted and destroyed a German U Boat and weren’t sure if there were any more.
And then over on the West coast there was 1941:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_PeQCPq8QA
“Hey Luigi, is that a U-boat?”
“Naw, that-sa not-ta my boat.”
(bada-bomp, bada-bing!)
geoff the aardvark
I’ve posted here before my father history in a B24. That guy had “Battle Fatigue” like no other. They call it something else today. It seemed to reach it’s peak when I was between the ages of 17 to 19. Heavy heavy drinking. My mom got tired of trying to talk him “down”. I ended up with that responsibility. So one night I said something to him that hit nerve. Can’t remember what it was, but the reply haunted me and was verified by that video. His reply was “You little bastard, you’ve never had to pour one of your friend out of a sperry automatic rotating gun turret”. A belly gun to most of us. Like all those WWII combat vets he would never talk about his experiences. But I gotta be honest, that video was deja vuy all over again. Snapped me back to being 19.
I read this very short 5 line poem in my copy of The Classic Hundred Poems, All-Time Favorites, William Harmon, Editor. It is called the Death of the Ball Turret Gunner by Randall Jarrell (pg. 249) and is a very haunting poem. From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dreams of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. If I offended anyone with this poem forgive me, it’s just another war poem that needs to be read and heard about the horrors of war.
geoff the aardvark
Shit. Good night.
I am also reminded of when Snowden’s guts spilled out of him after he had been shot and killed in the movie Catch-22. That one scene haunted me more than any other when I first watched Catch-22. And I believe that Yossarian and crew were flying B-24’s if I remember right.
geoff the aardvark
I have an awesome picture of his air crew. As soon as I can figure out how to copy it I will see if FUR will send it to you. Some God Damn tuff 19 to 21 year olds. We don’t measure up.
I’d like that if possible.
@ Geoff They were B25s.
@ Brad I want that pic too.