Other Heroes

In a time of war, it is good to honor those who have served. The many fine men and women who do their duty are to be cared for and honored. Wherever human beings go their animals go with them as workers, comfort and pets. Unfortunately, that sometimes means that the animals go to war. These loving and loyal companions are celebrating an aniversary today.

Beginning on 13 March 1942, the Quartermaster Corps ran the Army's so-called "K-9 Corps" and undertook to change these new recruits into good fighting "soldiers." The readily-used phrase "K-9 Corps" became a popular title for the War Dog Program in the 1940s and 50s. The term however is not official. Its origin lies in its phonetic association with the equally unofficial, alternative phrase "Canine Corps."

After World War II, the sentry dogs and the silent scout dogs continued to be of great value. The end of 1946 saw the beginning of the Quartermaster Corps "Dog Training Branch" at the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) Quartermaster School in Lenggries, Germany.

Probably the most famous War Dog was Chips. Chips was donated by Edward J. Wren of Pleasantville, New York, was trained at Front Royal, Virginia in 1942, and was among the first dogs to be shipped overseas. He was assigned to the 3d Infantry Division and served with that unit in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. His assignments included sentry duty at the Roosevelt-Churchill conference in Casablanca in January 1943. Although trained as a sentry dog, Chips was reported on one occasion by members of Company I, 30th Infantry Regiment, to have broken away from his handler and attacked a pillbox containing an enemy machine gun crew in Sicily. He seized one man and forced the entire crew to surrender. He was also credited by the units to which he was assigned as having been directly responsible for capture of numerous enemy by alerting to their presence. In recognition of his service Chips was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart, both were later revoked. In 1993 Disney produced a TV move about Chips called "Chips the War Dog".

Dogs continue to serve the armed forces. In the Korean War the Army used about 1,500 dogs.. During the Vietnam War about 4,000 dogs were employed. Of these 281 were officially killed in action. Most recently dogs have been deployed in the Persian Gulf War and now to Iraq for Mine Detection. An effort is currently underway to to petition the U.S. Postal Service for a stamp honoring military working dogs.

When Things Really Click

This week's Theme: CLICK

Ansel Adams




El Capitan









Moon Over Halfdome

One of my favorite places on earth is Yosemite. When you descend into the valley there is a rest stop view point where you look down the valley to see both Half Dome and El Capitan. When you get to the bottom there is a wonderful shop where you can purchase copies of the work of a man of genius who knew how to click. We all take photographs. The click and whirr and snap to capture a forever image, but few of those looking down that valley can make these into a work of art.

Near the store is the pioneers graveyard and the Ahwahnee indian village. What must those earliest people have thought when they first came to that valley and met the local inhabitants. Today it is a place for tourists to go "click!" to take away a souvenir to prove they have seen these things as well.

Now you can go to your mouse and click on this space for a visit to the Ansel Adams Galleryfor even more of the images he created simply by knowing when to click.

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Now what you do, if you have a Manic Monday post on your blog, you CLICK on Mr. Linkie and leave a link to your blog so myself and others can come have a look. If you do or don't have Manic Monday post, please still CLICK on "Comments" and leave me a message.

Dancing Sitting Down

On a blog I visit daily the subject of Baryshnikov came up in passing because several people had seen the Charlie Rose interview the previous night. I related that his is the one and only autograph I had ever requested simply because I wanted it on the poem by Joseph Brodsky that was dedicated to him.

In addition to the autograph, I have a rare photograph that is a copy of one that appears in Nina Alovert's Baryshnikov in Russia. It required special permission from the publisher to copy. It is remarkable because his head is down so that you can't see the face, and he is sitting on the floor wearing a simple black leotard, yet no one has ever failed to identify the person in the picture.

It is absolute proof that you don't have to be able to move in order to dance. You have no way of knowing if he just finished and is resting or is just waiting to leap up and begin yet the dance is so obviously in his head that there is no doubt that it is happening.

From "Classical Ballet" by Joseph Brodsky

How splendid late at night, Old Russia worlds apart,
to watch Baryshnikov, his talent still as forceful!
The effort of the calf, the quivering of the torso
rotating round its axis, start

a flight such as the soul has yearned for from the fates,
as old maids cherish dreams while turning into bitches,
And as for where in space and time one's toe end touches,
well, earth is hard all over; try the States.

At 59 he can no longer do the incredible leaps that actually made you believe that this time gravity wouldn't win and a man would finally fly without benefit of wings. Instead he now dances with an artistic tension so strong that somehow in your mind's eye you can still see him soar.

Thursday Thirteen # 1

Thirteen Things about Genealogy 1…Don't look for famous people. They may be there, but most people don't have them. One or two may show up in passing, but their history has already been written. You are tending to the unknowns. 2....The stories are as important as the dates. Tell as many as you know. 3.... History not passed on is history lost. 4.... Your children won't care about the family tree until you are dead. Don't expect it and don't neglect it, as they will have a host of questions to ask when you aren't there to answer. 5.... If you do absolutely nothing else, label your photographs. When somebody cares, they will want to know the names and locations of all those people in the funny clothes . 6.... Scandals happen to every family in every generation. You're sainted great great grandmother was a teenager too. You are the family historian not the morality clean up crew. 7.... Keep a diary (or print copies of your blog). They will be invaluable later. Historians depend on writers writing. 8.... Almost every city, county and state have a genealogical or historical society usually staffed with volunteers willing to share everything they know. You will not find a more generous group anywhere. 9.... If you are an American, the National Archives and Ellis Island are national treasures. Most American sources are a pain because they are kept by State and County not nationally, but you can still find a lot of information at the National level. If you are from elsewhere, find out who is responsible for your records. If you are Scots, I am so jealous, the color is a permanent shade of green. 10... Find a "Family History Center" and hug a Mormon. You will find more information, expertise, and assistance there than virtually anywhere else, and most of it is absolutely free no strings attached. 11... Save your sanity. Get a good computerized genealogical program. Trying to do it family sheet by family sheet has been known to lead to nervous breakdowns. Print it out and make backup copies anyway; crashes happen. 12... Timelines and "Today in History" can help you understand what your ancestors faced. 13... The human comedy is really really funny. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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