Ben and Rita are sitting at their kitchen table drinking coffee. She opens a letter, reads it and then looks at him.
"I have wonderful news from my cousin in Houston. He owns a cottage right on the Gulf of Mexico near Vera Cruz. It's a fantastic place. We can have it the week of Cinco de Mayo. It'll be the honeymoon we've been postponing for too long. What do you think, my love?"
"Sounds great. What's it like?"
"It's very isolated and very romantic. It'll be just you and me...just...you...and...me."
"I can't wait. Feliz Cinco de Mayo."
"Let me show you where it is on the map. It's just north of Vera Cruz."
In his office at the Department of the Army, U.S. General Matthew Ridgeway greets his staff who are standing around a table where a large map of Mexico is spread out.
"This will be called Operation Segundo, in reference to the first Mexican War in the 1840s. As a matter of fact, we'll be using a similar plan, a two-prong lightening strike, first at the port of Vera Cruz to be followed by a diversion from the north at various points along the Rio Grande. Our goal is to capture a man in Mexico City named Julius Karchevsky. We've got to get in and out quickly to limit any loss of life. The president is trying to negotiate his surrender by the Mexicans, but in case he is not successful, we must be ready to act within 90 days. I've picked you men because I have confidence you can pull this off. Now, let's discuss details."
They study the map of the area just north of Vera Cruz.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Five Sullivan Brothers
Saving Private Ryan, the Academy Award-winning (including Best Director - Steven Spielberg) 1998 film, can be divided into two parts. Part one deals with the D Day (June 6, 1944) landing at Normandy portrayed in realistic graphic detail. The remainder of the film is about a team of American soldiers led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks - nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, but lost to Roberto Benigni in Life is Beautiful) who are ordered to locate (elsewhere in France and bring back safely) another American soldier, Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) from Iowa.
Private Ryan is considered special because his three brothers had all recently been killed in action. Saving Private Ryan is fiction. However, on November 13, 1942, five Sullivan brothers (George, Frank, Joe, Matt and Al) from Waterloo, Iowa were all killed in action when their ship, the USS Juneau, was sunk. The five Sullivan brothers had all enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 3, 1942 with the stipulation that they all serve together.
The USS Juneau, a United States Navy light cruiser, was sunk by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine at the Battle of Guadalcanal. Six hundred eighty-seven sailors, including the five Sullivan brothers, perished.
When letters from her sons stopped arriving, their mother reached out to the Office of Naval Personnel in January of 1943. A few days later, three U.S. Navy uniformed representatives arrived at the Sullivan home to give them the horrible news.
"As a direct result of the Sullivans's deaths, the U.S. War Department adopted the Sole Survivor Policy" in 1948. An example of this policy is as follows.
In 2009, Jeremy Wise, a former Navy Seal and then a military contractor, was killed in Afghanistan. In 2011, his brother, Ben Wise, an Army Special Forces Combat Medic, was also killed in Afghanistan. As a result, the third brother, Beau Wise, a marine deployed in Afghanistan in 2011, was "immediately relieved of combat duties and returned to the United States."
The 1944 film, The Fighting Sullivans, starring Thomas Mitchell (as the father), was based upon the lives of the five Sullivan brothers and their family. It was nominated for one Academy Award (Best Story), but lost to Going My Way.
Private Ryan is considered special because his three brothers had all recently been killed in action. Saving Private Ryan is fiction. However, on November 13, 1942, five Sullivan brothers (George, Frank, Joe, Matt and Al) from Waterloo, Iowa were all killed in action when their ship, the USS Juneau, was sunk. The five Sullivan brothers had all enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 3, 1942 with the stipulation that they all serve together.
The USS Juneau, a United States Navy light cruiser, was sunk by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine at the Battle of Guadalcanal. Six hundred eighty-seven sailors, including the five Sullivan brothers, perished.
When letters from her sons stopped arriving, their mother reached out to the Office of Naval Personnel in January of 1943. A few days later, three U.S. Navy uniformed representatives arrived at the Sullivan home to give them the horrible news.
"As a direct result of the Sullivans's deaths, the U.S. War Department adopted the Sole Survivor Policy" in 1948. An example of this policy is as follows.
In 2009, Jeremy Wise, a former Navy Seal and then a military contractor, was killed in Afghanistan. In 2011, his brother, Ben Wise, an Army Special Forces Combat Medic, was also killed in Afghanistan. As a result, the third brother, Beau Wise, a marine deployed in Afghanistan in 2011, was "immediately relieved of combat duties and returned to the United States."
The 1944 film, The Fighting Sullivans, starring Thomas Mitchell (as the father), was based upon the lives of the five Sullivan brothers and their family. It was nominated for one Academy Award (Best Story), but lost to Going My Way.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
First in Flight
On one of Cristina's first visits to Chapel Hill, we were walking through the parking lot of the office building where I worked when she noticed the North Carolina license plates with the expression, "First in Flight." This of course referred to the Wright brothers historic first flight which occurred on December 17, 1903 (114 years ago today) in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Not only North Carolinians, but all Americans proudly acknowledge this historic scientific breakthrough, by Americans.
However, Cristina was aghast because all Brazilians believe that Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian, was the true aviator who was "First in Flight." His first flight occurred in Paris, France on October 23, 1906, almost three years after the Wright brothers. So, why do Brazilians believe that Santos-Dumont was "First in Flight" and not the Wright brothers?
Orville and Wilbur Wright were originally from Dayton, Ohio and engaged in experiments to develop a flying machine. As such, they moved to Kitty Hawk (on the Atlantic coast) in 1900 because of its "regular breezes and soft sandy landing surface."
On the historic day, the two Wright brothers "made two flights each from level ground into a freezing headwind gust to 27 miles per hour (43 km/hour)." Orville, going first, flew 120 feet (37 meters) in 12 seconds at a speed of 6.8 miles per hour (10.9 km/hour). Their plane flew about 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground.
When Santos-Dumont was 18 years-old, his family moved from Brazil, where he was born, to France, as his father, who was of French descent, needed medical treatment.
Santos-Dumont, who had also engaged in experiments with flying machines, "finally succeeded in flying a heavier-than-air aircraft...before a large crowd of witnesses...for a distance of 60 meters (197 feet) at a height of 5 meters (16 feet)."
So, what is the difference between what the Wright brothers did in 1903 and what Santos-Dumont accomplished three years later? The Wright brothers airplane did not take off on its own. They used a "launching rail" to get their plane into the air. On the other hand, Santos-Dumont's airplane got off the ground on its own. Does that take off difference matter in deciding who is the real "First in Flight?" Maybe it depends on whether you are American or Brazilian.
However, Cristina was aghast because all Brazilians believe that Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian, was the true aviator who was "First in Flight." His first flight occurred in Paris, France on October 23, 1906, almost three years after the Wright brothers. So, why do Brazilians believe that Santos-Dumont was "First in Flight" and not the Wright brothers?
Orville and Wilbur Wright were originally from Dayton, Ohio and engaged in experiments to develop a flying machine. As such, they moved to Kitty Hawk (on the Atlantic coast) in 1900 because of its "regular breezes and soft sandy landing surface."
On the historic day, the two Wright brothers "made two flights each from level ground into a freezing headwind gust to 27 miles per hour (43 km/hour)." Orville, going first, flew 120 feet (37 meters) in 12 seconds at a speed of 6.8 miles per hour (10.9 km/hour). Their plane flew about 10 feet (3 meters) above the ground.
When Santos-Dumont was 18 years-old, his family moved from Brazil, where he was born, to France, as his father, who was of French descent, needed medical treatment.
Santos-Dumont, who had also engaged in experiments with flying machines, "finally succeeded in flying a heavier-than-air aircraft...before a large crowd of witnesses...for a distance of 60 meters (197 feet) at a height of 5 meters (16 feet)."
So, what is the difference between what the Wright brothers did in 1903 and what Santos-Dumont accomplished three years later? The Wright brothers airplane did not take off on its own. They used a "launching rail" to get their plane into the air. On the other hand, Santos-Dumont's airplane got off the ground on its own. Does that take off difference matter in deciding who is the real "First in Flight?" Maybe it depends on whether you are American or Brazilian.
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Declaration of War
On Sunday, December 7, 1941, naval forces of the Empire of Japan attacked U.S. military installations on the Island of Oahu, the U.S. Territory of Hawaii, killing 2,403 American servicemen and wounding 1,178 others. In addition, eighteen U.S. naval vessels were sunk or damaged. As a result, the following day, Monday, December 8, 1941, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) asked for and received a near unanimous Congressional Declaration of War against the Empire of Japan.
Three days later, Thursday, December 11, 1941 (76 years ago tomorrow), Nazi Germany declared war on the United States without any similar provocation. Hours later that same day, the United States reciprocated and declared war on Nazi Germany. (The last U.S. Declaration of War was on June 5, 1942 against Nazi German allies Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.) So why did Germany declare war on the U.S.?
In its declaration of war, the Nazi government accused the U.S. of violating the rules of neutrality in favor of Germany's enemies, of attacking German military vessels and of seizing its merchant ships. Such incidents started occurring at the beginning of the war in Europe in September of 1939. So why the delay of more than two years until December 11, 1941?
In Berlin, on September 27, 1940, Japan, Germany, and Italy signed an agreement known as the Tripartite Pact. In Article 3, the three countries agreed to "assist one another with all political, economic and military means if one of the contracting parties is attacked by a power at present not involved in the European War or in the Japanese-Chinese conflict." The power they were referring to was the United States.
At the beginning of December of 1941, the Japanese ambassador to Germany, Baron Hiroshi Oshima, informed German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop that war was imminent between Japan and the United States. He asked for German assurances that it would declare war on the U.S. under the terms of the Tripartite Pact. However, Japan attacked the U.S., not the other way around which would have fallen under the terms of the above Pact.
In spite of Nazi Germany's involvement militarily on multiple fronts against the USSR and the UK, Hitler unilaterally decided to declare war on the U.S. One reason was "Hitler's deeply held racial prejudices made him see the U.S. as a...people of mixed race, a population heavily under the influence of Jews and Negroes, with no history of authoritarian discipline to control and direct them. Such a country could never be a serious threat to a country like Germany."
Perhaps Hitler felt personal animus towards FDR. He said, "Roosevelt comes from a rich family and belongs to the class whose path is smoothed in the democracies. I was the only child of a small, poor family and had to fight my way by work and industry."
Perhaps Hitler felt FDR to be his political rival. They both came to power at almost the exact same time, in March of 1933. According to the author, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Hitler contended that the American president had provoked the war to cover up the failures of his New Deal. Hitler claimed, "This man (FDR) alone was responsible for the Second World War."
According to the economist John Kenneth Galbraith, who worked in the Roosevelt Administration during WWII, "It was truly astounding when Hitler declared war on us three days later. It was a totally irrational thing for him to do." Whatever the reasons, the U.S. was now involved in a two-theater world war that would last for three years and eight months before victory was won.
Three days later, Thursday, December 11, 1941 (76 years ago tomorrow), Nazi Germany declared war on the United States without any similar provocation. Hours later that same day, the United States reciprocated and declared war on Nazi Germany. (The last U.S. Declaration of War was on June 5, 1942 against Nazi German allies Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.) So why did Germany declare war on the U.S.?
In its declaration of war, the Nazi government accused the U.S. of violating the rules of neutrality in favor of Germany's enemies, of attacking German military vessels and of seizing its merchant ships. Such incidents started occurring at the beginning of the war in Europe in September of 1939. So why the delay of more than two years until December 11, 1941?
In Berlin, on September 27, 1940, Japan, Germany, and Italy signed an agreement known as the Tripartite Pact. In Article 3, the three countries agreed to "assist one another with all political, economic and military means if one of the contracting parties is attacked by a power at present not involved in the European War or in the Japanese-Chinese conflict." The power they were referring to was the United States.
At the beginning of December of 1941, the Japanese ambassador to Germany, Baron Hiroshi Oshima, informed German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop that war was imminent between Japan and the United States. He asked for German assurances that it would declare war on the U.S. under the terms of the Tripartite Pact. However, Japan attacked the U.S., not the other way around which would have fallen under the terms of the above Pact.
In spite of Nazi Germany's involvement militarily on multiple fronts against the USSR and the UK, Hitler unilaterally decided to declare war on the U.S. One reason was "Hitler's deeply held racial prejudices made him see the U.S. as a...people of mixed race, a population heavily under the influence of Jews and Negroes, with no history of authoritarian discipline to control and direct them. Such a country could never be a serious threat to a country like Germany."
Perhaps Hitler felt personal animus towards FDR. He said, "Roosevelt comes from a rich family and belongs to the class whose path is smoothed in the democracies. I was the only child of a small, poor family and had to fight my way by work and industry."
Perhaps Hitler felt FDR to be his political rival. They both came to power at almost the exact same time, in March of 1933. According to the author, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Hitler contended that the American president had provoked the war to cover up the failures of his New Deal. Hitler claimed, "This man (FDR) alone was responsible for the Second World War."
According to the economist John Kenneth Galbraith, who worked in the Roosevelt Administration during WWII, "It was truly astounding when Hitler declared war on us three days later. It was a totally irrational thing for him to do." Whatever the reasons, the U.S. was now involved in a two-theater world war that would last for three years and eight months before victory was won.
Sunday, December 3, 2017
So, Who's Van Johnson?
Van Johnson "was the embodiment of the boy-next-door wholesomeness (that) made him a popular Hollywood (movie) star in the '40s and '50s." His big break came in 1943 when he was cast in A Guy Named Joe with Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunn. This was followed by such hit movies as Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) again with Spencer Tracy, Between Two Women (1945) with Marilyn Maxwell, Thrill of a Romance (1945) with Esther Williams, and Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) with Lana Turner. He tied Bing Crosby as the top box office movie star in 1945.
In 1954, Van Johnson starred in the film The Caine Mutiny along with Humphrey Bogart, Fred MacMurray, and Jose Ferrer. It is the fictional story of a mutiny aboard a U.S. Navy ship during World War II. (There has never been a mutiny aboard a U.S. Navy ship.) The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards (but won none), including Best Picture (lost to On The Waterfront) and Best Actor (Bogart lost to Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront).
Prior to the mutiny, Lieutenant Keefer (MacMurray), the communications officer of the USS Caine and the villain of the story, tries to convince Lieutenant Meryk (Van Johnson), the executive officer, that the ship's captain, Captain Queeg (Bogart), is paranoid and unfit for duty. During a violent storm at sea, Queeg, who was "frozen, either by indecision or fear," is unable to issue an order as to what to do. Meryk takes command of the Caine (over the objections of Queeg) and the ship survives the storm.
When the Caine returns to Pearl Harbor, Meryk is put on trial for mutiny and is defended by Lieutenant Greenwald (Ferrer). In order to save his client, Greenwald reluctantly but relentlessly cross-examines Queeg causing him to suffer a "mental breakdown" while on the witness stand.
It was during the summer of 1994 that I crossed paths with Van Johnson. I had taken my nine year-old son Bret to Chicago to visit relatives, but also to see a baseball game at historic Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs. We were returning to New York, waiting for a flight from O'Hare Airport. I was standing in line at the check-in counter by our gate when I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and instantly recognized seventy-eight year-old Van Johnson.
When I returned to my seat in the waiting area by Bret, I kept my eyes on the Hollywood star. As Van Johnson had a first class ticket, he was the first passenger to board the plane. Next came an announcement allowing customers with children to board early. I jumped at the opportunity and we followed a young woman pushing a baby stroller.
When Bret and I entered the plane's cabin I saw Van Johnson sitting on the right side of the plane in the first row seat by the window. All the stewardesses were hovering over him and I could tell by the smile on his face he was enjoying their attention. As we passed by, I reached out to shake his hand.
I said, "Mr. Johnson, I enjoyed your performance in The Caine Mutiny."
He responded in jest, "Do you want your money back?" I didn't have the heart to tell him I had seen it multiple times on television for free.
As Bret and I moved down the aisle to our seats, I overheard the young woman in front of me talking to herself. "So, that's Van Johnson...So, who's Van Johnson?" I was too shocked by her ignorance to tell her.
In 1954, Van Johnson starred in the film The Caine Mutiny along with Humphrey Bogart, Fred MacMurray, and Jose Ferrer. It is the fictional story of a mutiny aboard a U.S. Navy ship during World War II. (There has never been a mutiny aboard a U.S. Navy ship.) The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards (but won none), including Best Picture (lost to On The Waterfront) and Best Actor (Bogart lost to Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront).
Prior to the mutiny, Lieutenant Keefer (MacMurray), the communications officer of the USS Caine and the villain of the story, tries to convince Lieutenant Meryk (Van Johnson), the executive officer, that the ship's captain, Captain Queeg (Bogart), is paranoid and unfit for duty. During a violent storm at sea, Queeg, who was "frozen, either by indecision or fear," is unable to issue an order as to what to do. Meryk takes command of the Caine (over the objections of Queeg) and the ship survives the storm.
When the Caine returns to Pearl Harbor, Meryk is put on trial for mutiny and is defended by Lieutenant Greenwald (Ferrer). In order to save his client, Greenwald reluctantly but relentlessly cross-examines Queeg causing him to suffer a "mental breakdown" while on the witness stand.
It was during the summer of 1994 that I crossed paths with Van Johnson. I had taken my nine year-old son Bret to Chicago to visit relatives, but also to see a baseball game at historic Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs. We were returning to New York, waiting for a flight from O'Hare Airport. I was standing in line at the check-in counter by our gate when I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and instantly recognized seventy-eight year-old Van Johnson.
When I returned to my seat in the waiting area by Bret, I kept my eyes on the Hollywood star. As Van Johnson had a first class ticket, he was the first passenger to board the plane. Next came an announcement allowing customers with children to board early. I jumped at the opportunity and we followed a young woman pushing a baby stroller.
When Bret and I entered the plane's cabin I saw Van Johnson sitting on the right side of the plane in the first row seat by the window. All the stewardesses were hovering over him and I could tell by the smile on his face he was enjoying their attention. As we passed by, I reached out to shake his hand.
I said, "Mr. Johnson, I enjoyed your performance in The Caine Mutiny."
He responded in jest, "Do you want your money back?" I didn't have the heart to tell him I had seen it multiple times on television for free.
As Bret and I moved down the aisle to our seats, I overheard the young woman in front of me talking to herself. "So, that's Van Johnson...So, who's Van Johnson?" I was too shocked by her ignorance to tell her.
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