Grandpa Scoobs’ after action report on the loss of his destroyer MEREDITH DD-726 off Normandy contains a humorous episode - after the DD got hit by something (mine/glide bomb?) early on the morning of 8 June, the ship appeared on the verge of breaking in half and the abandon ship order was given. Amid the hustle one sailor ran below decks shouting that he had to save “Lucky”, and soon emerged carrying a black cat! This was first indication Grandpa Scoobs had that his crew had violated his “no pets” policy and snuck one aboard - Lucky made it ashore but his final fate is unknown.
US Marines love their mascots too. My unit in Vietnam adopted a small dog we called Mouse. One of our staff sergeants tripped over her while he was running to a bunker during a rocket attack. He stopped, picked her up, and brought her along. She refused to leave, and she was just a puppy, so we kept her. Named Avenger J. Mouse. We were the Wake Island Avengers, VMA-211. Sweet pooch, well behaved. and somehow she was smuggled back to Japan when the war ended. I imagine she lived a life of luxury afterward.
Up to a point. A nice cat lady on my civilian compound in Iraq had so many cats and was ordering so many 20lb bags of cat food from Amazon that the APO threatened to cut off all our APO privileges.
1955. That's good going, especially considering how many times he was sunk!
Reading this reminded me of a conversation with an ex RN officer. He gave me a grammar lesson! He gently explained how the acronym HMS never takes the definite article. I've never been able to unsee it, since.
Reminds me of a story about a pet kitten and the COB on a submarine. The crew had hidden away the kitten at the approach of the COB. The COB entered the space and noticed a spot of "wet" on the deck. He knelt, stuck a finger in it and tasted it. "Find the source of that salt water leak and fix it, you idlers", he yelled.
A bit of a Jonah, but a handsome fellow.
Grandpa Scoobs’ after action report on the loss of his destroyer MEREDITH DD-726 off Normandy contains a humorous episode - after the DD got hit by something (mine/glide bomb?) early on the morning of 8 June, the ship appeared on the verge of breaking in half and the abandon ship order was given. Amid the hustle one sailor ran below decks shouting that he had to save “Lucky”, and soon emerged carrying a black cat! This was first indication Grandpa Scoobs had that his crew had violated his “no pets” policy and snuck one aboard - Lucky made it ashore but his final fate is unknown.
US Marines love their mascots too. My unit in Vietnam adopted a small dog we called Mouse. One of our staff sergeants tripped over her while he was running to a bunker during a rocket attack. He stopped, picked her up, and brought her along. She refused to leave, and she was just a puppy, so we kept her. Named Avenger J. Mouse. We were the Wake Island Avengers, VMA-211. Sweet pooch, well behaved. and somehow she was smuggled back to Japan when the war ended. I imagine she lived a life of luxury afterward.
Very cool story on a Friday
Thanks CDR SAL. A welcome, heartwarming break from the "regular" news. I came for FBF, stayed for the feel good comments!
On a related note, my buddies at the USS Hornet Sea Air Space Museum put together this great piece on a mascot:
https://youtu.be/cW4Ue6DHFzw?si=tFak0QbfV3KRVdWi
I think if the cat boarded three separate ships and all three ended up sunk, I'd consider it more of a bad luck omen!
Not really. The British had nine I Class destroyers in service in 1939. Six of them of them were sunk.
Cats made wonderful pets in the Sandbox.
They can kill scorpions.
Or copperheads in Ohio
Up to a point. A nice cat lady on my civilian compound in Iraq had so many cats and was ordering so many 20lb bags of cat food from Amazon that the APO threatened to cut off all our APO privileges.
1955. That's good going, especially considering how many times he was sunk!
Reading this reminded me of a conversation with an ex RN officer. He gave me a grammar lesson! He gently explained how the acronym HMS never takes the definite article. I've never been able to unsee it, since.
Fun facts. As a person owned by a cat, this is believable.
A felicitous post on felineity.
Reminds me of a story about a pet kitten and the COB on a submarine. The crew had hidden away the kitten at the approach of the COB. The COB entered the space and noticed a spot of "wet" on the deck. He knelt, stuck a finger in it and tasted it. "Find the source of that salt water leak and fix it, you idlers", he yelled.
A destroyer should have been named HMS Imperturbable and the cat immediately transferred aboard as mascot.
Great story.
Great story!
Sam should have received a mention in dispatches, a knighthood and a lavish pension.
O/T; Just received the survey. When did the upgrade become available or was I just unaware?
This should help. https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/6051838054932-How-do-I-upgrade-from-being-a-free-subscriber-to-a-paid-subscriber#:~:text=Navigate%20to%20the%20Subscriptions%20section,%22Upgrade%20to%20paid%20subscription%22.
I found it via the upgrade button......I just didn't know I could do so.