Fullbore Friday

thank you for your service, Pops

While I’m still in the WWI frame of mind from last Friday, I needed to take at least one more opportunity to give a nod to both of my Grandfathers who served in the Navy in WWI. 

My maternal grandfather never left CONUS, but my paternal grandfather did - he served on the USS ARKANSAS (BB-33) through her service with Battleship Division NINE as part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet's Sixth Battle Squadron. I've blogged about ARKANSAS a few times like I did last week, so indulge me a bit.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures of him ... just paper records. Thanks to our friends at NHHC, we do have access to some of the archive of pictures and I have found this one from his time.

As Pops was on the ARKANSAS right before or at this time there is a very small chance he is in this picture, Even if he isn’t, his Shipmates are. Those he went to war with for that short, quiet, but important deployment at the very end of the Great War. At least one of these young men would have recognized Pops if he walked by him ... that is good enough for me.

As we, really I’m the guilty party here, occasionally throw barbs at the hesitancy and apparent selfishness of our allies today, we should try to humble ourselves with the knowledge that we have the same habits - as a review of Battleship Division NINE and the American effort in WWI demonstrates well.

That is part of our history too ... but for now, I just want to take a moment to give a nod to my Pops, his Shipmates, and the unmitigated glory it must have been being at sea with ARKANSAS, WYOMING, TEXAS, NEW YORK, & FLORIDA (NB: DELAWARE was replaced by ARKANSAS).

Fullbore gentlemen - you were giants.