26 Comments

The CDR Boyd's are no more. The ranks of zeroes are full of lying, ass-kissing spineless crabs who can't be trusted to lead anyone to the pisser.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/new-clues-about-2020-campaign-disinformation

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Fascinating story. Even more interesting to track along with Google Earth as if you were there.

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I know the USS Dallas write-up calls the passengers "Army Raider Det", rather than Rangers, but:

1. Army never had Raiders, that was USMC

2. 1, 2, and 4th Ranger Bns were in theater by the Sicily invasion or earlier

3. The Boyd write-up calls them Rangers

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Apr 21, 2023·edited Apr 21, 2023Liked by CDR Salamander

Full Bore for sure...

Think a Freedom would be risked in such a role today?

Think today's SWO's would feel confident enough to push up that river under fire?

Gotta share this. Sorry...

So happens, while messing about some genealogy stuff today, stumbled across the realization that a distant ancestor was Jacob Wilson Parrott... the first recipient of the Medal of Honor, along with others who participated "Andrew's " Raid" a deep penetration op into Georgia in 1862. I am humbled. Our common ancestor was Frederich Parrott, a Bernese Anabaptist who had fled the then ongoing brutal ethnic cleansing in Switzerland. Its no wonder all of Frederick's sons fought in the American Revolution (one died at Germantown).

https://www.mohhc.org/about/first-medals-recipients/andrews-raiders/

Will our kids understand this all is worth fighting for tomorrow?

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Sal, great post worthy of a FULL Full Bore! . In 5 years who you gonna "Full Bore"? We aren't producing any "damn the torpedoes, get the objective" officers/crew anymore like Boyd. Rot starts at the head.

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Another great read! Thanks for sharing Sal.

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Well done.

The airport's still there, as Kenitra Air Base of the Royal Moroccan Air Force, and was also NAS Port Lyautey.

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"destroyer-transport"- sounds like what the Marines need for the first island chain.

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Just wanted to say thank you for these FbFs. I raised a sailor (actually he’s an NFO, just got his wings) and we both find these posts inspiring. Men of honor still serve.

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"Artillery officer"? Gunnery Officer, surely...

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Those old four pipers sure did find themselves used for a lot of things in WW II. Crummy for ASW (2 screw-single rudder=very wide turning diameter) but were minesweepers, transports and a whole bunch of odd ball one offs as discussed above.

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I find it curious that 100 years ago we could build more than a hundred of these, and in 20 years we seem to have produced rather less with a similar misison:

Displacement

1,215 tons (normal)

1,308 tons (full load)

Length 314 ft 4.5 in (95.822 m)

Beam 30 ft 11.5 in (9.436 m)

Draft 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)

Propulsion

4 × boilers, 300 psi (2,100 kPa) saturated steam[1]

2 geared steam turbines

27,600 hp (20,600 kW)

2 shafts

Speed 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h)

Range 4,900 nmi (9,100 km) @ 15 kn (28 km/h)

Crew

8 officers

8 chief petty officers

106 enlisted

Armament

4 × 4 inch/50 caliber guns (102 mm)

1 × 3 inch/23 caliber gun (76 mm) (anti-aircraft)

12 × 21 inch torpedo tubes (4 × 3) (533 mm)[1]

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Seems the retired Navy Captain says what he thinks when running for office, but nothing when it counted:

https://thespectator.com/topic/recruitment-crisis-national-security-dei-military-biden/

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