Tag Archives: Navy

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What is the meaning of Memorial Day?

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Arlington National Cemetary

What is Memorial Day? It’s the day that we remember all those brave men and women who have sacrificed to protect our liberties and our lives so that we could be safe from harm.

This video may help you to understand.

From Hot Air, a quote from Ronald Reagan.

Memorial Day is an occasion of special importance to all Americans, because it is a day sacred to the memory of all those Americans who made the supreme sacrifice for the liberties we enjoy. We will never forget or fail to honor these heroes to whom we owe so much. We honor them best when we resolve to cherish and defend the liberties for which they gave their lives. Let us resolve to do all in our power to assure the survival and the success of liberty so that our children and their children for generations to come can live in an America in which freedom’s light continues to shine.

The Congress, in establishing Memorial Day, called for it to be a day of tribute to America’s fallen, and also a day of national prayer for lasting peace. This Nation has always sought true peace. We seek it still. Our goal is peace in which the highest aspirations of our people, and people everywhere, are secure: peace with freedom, with justice, and with opportunity for human development. This is the permanent peace for which we pray, not only for ourselves but for all generations.

The defense of peace, like the defense of liberty, requires more than lip service. It requires vigilance, military strength, and the willingness to take risks and to make sacrifices. The surest guarantor of both peace and liberty is our unflinching resolve to defend that which has been purchased for us by our fallen heroes.

On Memorial Day, let us pray for peace — not only for ourselves, but for all those who seek freedom and justice.

And check some of my Medal of Honor posts:

If you want to help out our troops, you can send them things through Soldier’s Angels.

God Bless Our Troops!

UPDATE: I am listening to this podcast from the Heritage Foundation about the origin and meaning of Memorial Day.

For more reading, why not check out some of the military bloggers?

If you want to help out our troops, you can send them things through Soldier’s Angels.

News

Friday night movie: The Cruel Sea (1953)

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Here’s tonight’s movie:

IMDB rating: [7.6/10]

Description:

At the start of World War II, Cmdr. Ericson is assigned to convoy escort HMS Compass Rose with inexperienced officers and men just out of training. The winter seas make life miserable enough, but the men must also harden themselves to rescuing survivors of U-Boat attacks, while seldom able to strike back. Traumatic events afloat and ashore create a warm bond between the skipper and his first officer. Atmospheric sea footage.

The Battle of the Atlantic: British and Canadian convoys carry supplies across the North Atlantic to supply Allied forces in Europe and Africa.

Allied supply convoy crossing the Atlantic
Allied supply convoy crossing the Atlantic

Here’s a closer look at the Flower class corvette used by the heroes of the movie:

Flower class escort ship
Flower class corvette

Specifications:

  • Displacement: 950 tons
  • Dimensions: 62.5 x 10.0 x 3.5 meters (205 x 33 x 11.5 feet)
  • Propulsion: Single shaft; 2 fire tube Scotch boilers; 1 4-cyl. triple expansion steam engine, 2750 hp.;  16 knots
  • Range: 3500 nm. at 12 knots
  • Crew: 85
  • Radar: SW1C or 2C (later)
  • Sonar: Type 123A, later Type 127DV
  • Fire control: none
  • Main gun: 1 4″ BL Mk.IX single (range: 12,660 m / 13,850 yd)
  • Anti-aircraft: 2 .50 cal mg twin, 2 Lewis .303 cal mg twin
  • Anti-submarine: 2 Mk.II depth charge throwers, 2 depth charge rails with 40 depth charges

Here is a listing of common navy ships, ordered by size from largest to smallest:

  • Aircraft Carrier (CV)
  • Battleship (BB)
  • Cruiser (CA)
  • Destroyer (DD)
  • Frigate (FF)
  • Corvette (K)

Sound action stations! All ahead full!

Happy Friday!

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Videos

Friday night movie: Horatio Hornblower (1951)

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Here’s tonight’s movie:

IMDB rating: [7.4/10]

Description:

In 1807, Captain Horatio Hornblower leads his ship the HMS Lydia on a perilous voyage around Cape Horn and into the Pacific. The men, even his officers, don’t know exactly where he is leading them. England is at war with Napoleon and everyone wonders why they have been sent so far from the action. They eventually arrive on the Pacific coast of Central America where the HMS Lydia has been sent to arm Don Julian Alvarado, who is planning an attack against France’s Spanish allies on the North American continent. The hope is that Alvarado’s forces will require the French to divert some of their military resources to North American defense in the aid of their Spanish allies. He arrives to learn that a Spanish Galleon is en route and he no sooner captures it and hands it over to Alvarado that he learns the Spanish are now England’s allies and he must take it from Alvarado. He also gets a very comely passenger in the form of Lady Barbara Wellesley.

Some nice swashbuckling and cannon-fire for a Friday night!

Mr. Lobster Pirate is pleased:

Lobster Pirate is pleased with this Friday's movie
Lobster Pirate is pleased with this Friday’s movie

Beat to quarters and clear for action!

Happy Friday!

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