Please look up info on NOAA Bo’sm Jimmy Shields, 1986. He served USN in Shanghai about 1945. Jimmy lived in the Everglades. Your “Free State” of Florida!
Jimmy’s land was acquired by imminent domain about 1987. Jimmy Shields moved to Stone Mountain North of Atlanta, Georgia. I visited Jimmy Shields’s at least twice! Jimmy took me on “Walk abouts” to understand the people and terrain. We attended a Christian Church. We sang the songs! Jimmy “Bartered” for needed food supplies. Jimmy Shields pointed out one porch, inside which Jimmy said “The woman was dying from cancer.”
The people around Stone Mountain were so poor! On one visit, Jimmy cared for a Boa Constrictor “Snake!”! He showed me how the snake swallowed “whole” the mouse. That’s how I learned to love the people who forged, people who worked in the mines, people who worked the land. At that time I was the NUWEPS Officer, Cape Girardeau MO, 1986-19789. Let’s praise Jimmy Shields! I stood the NOAA Watch with him on NOAA Ship Reacher, 1986.
Sydney vs Kormoran has all that it makes for a great story.
Anti-villain: German pirates of the least Nazified arm of service. For what its worth, Kormoran raid was never been accused of gunning down civilians. Great discipline and combat efficiency on the part of the crew allowed to sink much more powerful real cruiser.
Keystone Cops: Sydney command, by large has failed to use due dilligence when hailing suspected raider. They failed to use available floatplane, and approached at angle annd range that got them square in sights of Kormorans hidden weapons.
Heroic sacrifices: while the command failed, the crew of Sydney fought on with crippled ship and managed to sink Kormoran in act of vengeful spite. Our protagonist today was one of them.
Long held mystery: it was not until the discovery of the wreck of Sydney that we had a final confirmation of the fate of the biggest warship MIA in WW2.
Slightly off topic, to his credit our drive by and condescending Admiral from Iowa did fix the successor to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. They actually started finding and identifying our Clarks.
Eighty years later, Able Seaman Clark was honored by fifty people at his memorial. Surviving family do not want to forget and desire closure. I'm glad the allied powers of that war are still looking and honoring even the most junior of personnel.
I truly believe that the American public in general didn't start honoring its veterans in a meaningful way until after 9/11 and then only begrudgingly. We had plenty of memorials and parades before then but I felt it hid a general disdain for the military.
I know a handful of Marines that died overseas that never aged past 22 , never married, never had children and never saw old age. Call it a crime or fate but it goes with the territory when you take the Kings schilling.
Free meals and worn out platitudes once a year is not nearly enough for the debt we owe all veterans irregardless of rank and the unceasing pursuit of accounting for every lost soul is just a small step in repaying that debt.
My paternal grandmother’s first husband died on the Sydney. She must’ve loved sailors as she remarried a US destroyer man from DD 727, USS DeHaven II, my grandfather. DeHaven I rests in Iron Bottom sound, a Fletcher that survived all of 133 days, but DeHaven II was a Sumner my grandfather rode out Typhoon Cobra in and that led the US destroyer squadron involved in the Battle of Sagami Bay, the last surface action of the war.
After the Sydney was lost the Australian government struck commemorative medals for her and distributed them to the crew’s next of kin. It’s currently sitting in my tribute area to my relatives who fought in WWII, a treasured family heirloom and poignant daily reminder of the cost of freedom.
Australia has some domestic troubles, like all the West right now, but pray we still will have the RAN and RAAF by our side if the balloon ever goes up in INDOPACOM.
Thank you @cdrsalamander for recounting an overlooked story from my Navy's history. In 2009 as the RAN equivalent of USN Fleet Forces Master Chief, I was privileged to accompany 100+family members for a memorial service on the anniversary over the wreck of HMAS Sydney. This was the year the wrecks were discovered by David L. Mearns.
I’m concerned about Greenland “One way or the other”. I understand the need to protect our Hemisphere. People’s opinions matter. The people of Greenland prefer Denmark! I understand the “Neither China nor Russia”. The lower forty-eight matter too!
How about the folks in West Virginia, where the Bridge collapsed?
Or the tornado in Oklahoma which damaged several homes?
Shipmates, please be on the look out for “Mines”! Finland has withdrawn from the Ottawa Treaty, effective February 2026.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have also announced their withdrawal from the convention earlier.
The Ottawa Treaty entered into force in 1999 and has been ratified by 164 states. According to estimates from the International Committee of the Red Cross, anti-personnel mines cause a high number of civilian casualties and remain a hazard for many years after hostilities end.
America has an obesity problem affecting the health of American citizens under age 45! Americans have “Anger Issues”! Why is that? I’m going to Saints Constantine and Helen on Riva Road Annapolis, Maryland … this Sunday hoping, I meet a true “Friend”. The National Guard, ICE Officers, Police are men and women too! God Bless America! Thank you for reading my comment. Stay safe, warm and dry today! Nurse Jane
What if the Police Reports differ from the ICE reports?
On Thursday morning I spoke with Latino Israel, born in San Salvador’s, father of good children. Foreman for good local Landscaping Company. Israel pointed to the color of his skin, saying his men are afraid to work in either D.C. or Baltimore! Further saying his men are afraid of being “Detained”, “Too dangerous”, Israel said to me. The Big Boss drove up in a shiny white Ford Truck. I smiled and thanked Israel.
This “Discrimination” towards Latinos began in my neighborhood 2023 by the wife of the retired Army Colonel, acting President of the “Masons Beach Home Association”, 20761. She trespassed onto my Private pier verbally berating Senoir F.M. in front of his teenage son! In December 2025, same Caucasian woman body blocked me at my Private pier, saying “What don’t you understand about what the Judge told you?” Judge didn’t tell me anything! I paid $6000 to Anne Arundel County Erosion Control on 6 December 2024! Cronies of African Americans, who feel entitled, hide behind the color of their skin in Maryland. In 2021-2022, I advocated for Latin Americans, indentured servants back in the post revolutionary's days, at Historical London Town and Gardens, Edgewater Maryland. Safely, around July 4th, 2023-2024, I was literally run-off that County Land by the obese Caucasian woman in charge!
Shipmates, we respect our fellow shipmates, we follow the “Lawful” orders of our Petty Officers, Chiefs and Naval Officers! Recently at SNEAD’s Ace Hardware, I met former Naval Avionics Tech “Sean”. He helped me solve a Design Challenge for an outside Geo Map! CDR Salamander smile! Outside, waterfront, I will unfurl my GEO Shower Curtain Map, teaching anyone wanting to learn! God Bless you and America! NJ
“Indentured Servants”, a subject “Latino” I speak often about.
Latinos are afraid to work because they fear “Detainment”!
Good foremen, like Israel, will protect his men, as he did on Thursday past!
Early yesterday (Saturday) Morning, “Zelda”, a vicious, barking dog was set outside upon me! The wooden fence held, the dog’s owner, 6015 First Avenue, smiled! A bottle of booze was still inside the marble wine cooler.
In 1994, my friend Rosemary Leonard, Specialist at Calvert Cliffs ,owned that beautiful home! Rosemary and her husband moved to the Outer Banks. First Ray S., former enlisted Marine, owned 6015, then bought a larger home in Section A, Masons Beach; next, the Litskys, also with a second home in D.C., now “Zelda’s” owner! A “Table Mat Owner” with D.C. License Plates on her BMW!
“Table Mat Owner” means, they just hold their place at the Chesapeake Bay Waterfront, primary home somewhere else.
Last night, same vicious barking dog let out, waterfront. Time to take my Vladimir Sherwoodovich inside. That was in the dark, about 5:30 PM.
We were flooded at Masons Beach, Section E, Lots 4 & 3, adjacent to my artesian well! The rain measured 1 foot, 2 inches! We needed that saturation!
Chesapeake Bay Revolutionary History:
“Peggy Stewart” - Stewart and the Williams Company… 19 Oct 1774 “Annapolis Tea Party” - Stewart burned his ship… Thomas Ringold celebrated!
The “Indentured Latino servants” from many British, Spanish and Portuguese ships were promised a “Home” in Maryland.
I love working alongside “Hard working people”. Stay safe when you go outside today in Maryland. We had significant rain yesterday, Saturday 10 January 2026. NJ
Good Morning CDR Salamander!
Please look up info on NOAA Bo’sm Jimmy Shields, 1986. He served USN in Shanghai about 1945. Jimmy lived in the Everglades. Your “Free State” of Florida!
Jimmy’s land was acquired by imminent domain about 1987. Jimmy Shields moved to Stone Mountain North of Atlanta, Georgia. I visited Jimmy Shields’s at least twice! Jimmy took me on “Walk abouts” to understand the people and terrain. We attended a Christian Church. We sang the songs! Jimmy “Bartered” for needed food supplies. Jimmy Shields pointed out one porch, inside which Jimmy said “The woman was dying from cancer.”
The people around Stone Mountain were so poor! On one visit, Jimmy cared for a Boa Constrictor “Snake!”! He showed me how the snake swallowed “whole” the mouse. That’s how I learned to love the people who forged, people who worked in the mines, people who worked the land. At that time I was the NUWEPS Officer, Cape Girardeau MO, 1986-19789. Let’s praise Jimmy Shields! I stood the NOAA Watch with him on NOAA Ship Reacher, 1986.
Thank you! Nurse Jane
Thanks for spreading this. All honor to Thomas Welby Clark.
If you're looking for another merchant ship incident, may I suggest the battle between SS Stephen Hopkins and KMS Stier.
“…and the sea shall give up its dead”.
Revelation (20:13)
Sydney vs Kormoran has all that it makes for a great story.
Anti-villain: German pirates of the least Nazified arm of service. For what its worth, Kormoran raid was never been accused of gunning down civilians. Great discipline and combat efficiency on the part of the crew allowed to sink much more powerful real cruiser.
Keystone Cops: Sydney command, by large has failed to use due dilligence when hailing suspected raider. They failed to use available floatplane, and approached at angle annd range that got them square in sights of Kormorans hidden weapons.
Heroic sacrifices: while the command failed, the crew of Sydney fought on with crippled ship and managed to sink Kormoran in act of vengeful spite. Our protagonist today was one of them.
Long held mystery: it was not until the discovery of the wreck of Sydney that we had a final confirmation of the fate of the biggest warship MIA in WW2.
Slightly off topic, to his credit our drive by and condescending Admiral from Iowa did fix the successor to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. They actually started finding and identifying our Clarks.
Eighty years later, Able Seaman Clark was honored by fifty people at his memorial. Surviving family do not want to forget and desire closure. I'm glad the allied powers of that war are still looking and honoring even the most junior of personnel.
Knowing someone will try to find out what happened to you, no matter the time and effort is of massive benefit.
I truly believe that the American public in general didn't start honoring its veterans in a meaningful way until after 9/11 and then only begrudgingly. We had plenty of memorials and parades before then but I felt it hid a general disdain for the military.
I know a handful of Marines that died overseas that never aged past 22 , never married, never had children and never saw old age. Call it a crime or fate but it goes with the territory when you take the Kings schilling.
Free meals and worn out platitudes once a year is not nearly enough for the debt we owe all veterans irregardless of rank and the unceasing pursuit of accounting for every lost soul is just a small step in repaying that debt.
Koh Tang Island. I have heard of three Marines lost.
The Mayaguez incident. A cluster f*** of epic proportions.
Yes, a punctuation mark on a clusterfluck of a war.
May the Lord God rest his soul in peace.
My paternal grandmother’s first husband died on the Sydney. She must’ve loved sailors as she remarried a US destroyer man from DD 727, USS DeHaven II, my grandfather. DeHaven I rests in Iron Bottom sound, a Fletcher that survived all of 133 days, but DeHaven II was a Sumner my grandfather rode out Typhoon Cobra in and that led the US destroyer squadron involved in the Battle of Sagami Bay, the last surface action of the war.
After the Sydney was lost the Australian government struck commemorative medals for her and distributed them to the crew’s next of kin. It’s currently sitting in my tribute area to my relatives who fought in WWII, a treasured family heirloom and poignant daily reminder of the cost of freedom.
Australia has some domestic troubles, like all the West right now, but pray we still will have the RAN and RAAF by our side if the balloon ever goes up in INDOPACOM.
Thank you @cdrsalamander for recounting an overlooked story from my Navy's history. In 2009 as the RAN equivalent of USN Fleet Forces Master Chief, I was privileged to accompany 100+family members for a memorial service on the anniversary over the wreck of HMAS Sydney. This was the year the wrecks were discovered by David L. Mearns.
Amazing story. Here's another armed merchantman: HMS Rawalpindi.
www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/rawalpindi.html
Saturday Morning!
I’m concerned about Greenland “One way or the other”. I understand the need to protect our Hemisphere. People’s opinions matter. The people of Greenland prefer Denmark! I understand the “Neither China nor Russia”. The lower forty-eight matter too!
How about the folks in West Virginia, where the Bridge collapsed?
Or the tornado in Oklahoma which damaged several homes?
Shipmates, please be on the look out for “Mines”! Finland has withdrawn from the Ottawa Treaty, effective February 2026.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have also announced their withdrawal from the convention earlier.
The Ottawa Treaty entered into force in 1999 and has been ratified by 164 states. According to estimates from the International Committee of the Red Cross, anti-personnel mines cause a high number of civilian casualties and remain a hazard for many years after hostilities end.
America has an obesity problem affecting the health of American citizens under age 45! Americans have “Anger Issues”! Why is that? I’m going to Saints Constantine and Helen on Riva Road Annapolis, Maryland … this Sunday hoping, I meet a true “Friend”. The National Guard, ICE Officers, Police are men and women too! God Bless America! Thank you for reading my comment. Stay safe, warm and dry today! Nurse Jane
Good Morning CDR & Shipmates!
Saturday Morning News time…
What if the Police Reports differ from the ICE reports?
On Thursday morning I spoke with Latino Israel, born in San Salvador’s, father of good children. Foreman for good local Landscaping Company. Israel pointed to the color of his skin, saying his men are afraid to work in either D.C. or Baltimore! Further saying his men are afraid of being “Detained”, “Too dangerous”, Israel said to me. The Big Boss drove up in a shiny white Ford Truck. I smiled and thanked Israel.
This “Discrimination” towards Latinos began in my neighborhood 2023 by the wife of the retired Army Colonel, acting President of the “Masons Beach Home Association”, 20761. She trespassed onto my Private pier verbally berating Senoir F.M. in front of his teenage son! In December 2025, same Caucasian woman body blocked me at my Private pier, saying “What don’t you understand about what the Judge told you?” Judge didn’t tell me anything! I paid $6000 to Anne Arundel County Erosion Control on 6 December 2024! Cronies of African Americans, who feel entitled, hide behind the color of their skin in Maryland. In 2021-2022, I advocated for Latin Americans, indentured servants back in the post revolutionary's days, at Historical London Town and Gardens, Edgewater Maryland. Safely, around July 4th, 2023-2024, I was literally run-off that County Land by the obese Caucasian woman in charge!
Shipmates, we respect our fellow shipmates, we follow the “Lawful” orders of our Petty Officers, Chiefs and Naval Officers! Recently at SNEAD’s Ace Hardware, I met former Naval Avionics Tech “Sean”. He helped me solve a Design Challenge for an outside Geo Map! CDR Salamander smile! Outside, waterfront, I will unfurl my GEO Shower Curtain Map, teaching anyone wanting to learn! God Bless you and America! NJ
Sunday Morning 11 January…
Good Morning CDR & shipmates,
How are you?
“Indentured Servants”, a subject “Latino” I speak often about.
Latinos are afraid to work because they fear “Detainment”!
Good foremen, like Israel, will protect his men, as he did on Thursday past!
Early yesterday (Saturday) Morning, “Zelda”, a vicious, barking dog was set outside upon me! The wooden fence held, the dog’s owner, 6015 First Avenue, smiled! A bottle of booze was still inside the marble wine cooler.
In 1994, my friend Rosemary Leonard, Specialist at Calvert Cliffs ,owned that beautiful home! Rosemary and her husband moved to the Outer Banks. First Ray S., former enlisted Marine, owned 6015, then bought a larger home in Section A, Masons Beach; next, the Litskys, also with a second home in D.C., now “Zelda’s” owner! A “Table Mat Owner” with D.C. License Plates on her BMW!
“Table Mat Owner” means, they just hold their place at the Chesapeake Bay Waterfront, primary home somewhere else.
Last night, same vicious barking dog let out, waterfront. Time to take my Vladimir Sherwoodovich inside. That was in the dark, about 5:30 PM.
We were flooded at Masons Beach, Section E, Lots 4 & 3, adjacent to my artesian well! The rain measured 1 foot, 2 inches! We needed that saturation!
Chesapeake Bay Revolutionary History:
“Peggy Stewart” - Stewart and the Williams Company… 19 Oct 1774 “Annapolis Tea Party” - Stewart burned his ship… Thomas Ringold celebrated!
The “Indentured Latino servants” from many British, Spanish and Portuguese ships were promised a “Home” in Maryland.
I love working alongside “Hard working people”. Stay safe when you go outside today in Maryland. We had significant rain yesterday, Saturday 10 January 2026. NJ
This be the verse you grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.