Slapdragon

Here is an oddity. I have a photography collection done by the British Army in 1953 called "The Second World War". Publisher is "Royal Printing - Oxford", no author listed and pictures do not have photog listings. In the book is a pictured captioned, "The Field Marshall riding in a Stuart Recce or Kangaroo" showing a turretless Stuart with Montgomery riding on it. The British Army, at least in 1953, was confusing the two vehicles. I wonder if they were similar enough that they were just treated as the same, or if they were indeed the same vehicles distinguished just by armament.

I love King Photoshop, but we have about 25 copies of Elemente Mac around work, and I end up using it all the time because I am to lasy to go over to our photoshop or Quantel machines.

Better watch it or someone will make him a squire.

Ahh Seanachai my enemy. I wrote that I blamed the noble Croda as a small dig in the fine tradition of the MBT, and not because I blame the silly gentledman for his placement of his rather large boot on that particularly pathetic behind. And in fact, I too many times wished to bitch slap the kid as you did. My attempts to save him were forlorn. I tired, but I do not blame anyone who decides to bat the kid around. He was a troll in every sense of the word, if I may have permission to label him such.

Which thread? Aww, my little buddy, gone!</font>

I am sad to announce this just in on the AP wire. Iron Chef was banned tonight by the powers that be.

We all know how insects in Mr. Pengs vaseline jar can completly ruin his morning, day, or Saturday Night. Stuka, will stop shrugging your responsibilities in buying Mr.Peng his dipers? Did'nt anyone tell you he pee's in his cornflakes?</font>

Every thinking human being.

My, away from the pool for a week and we have the beginnings of a war on our hands. How uncouth. Oh, Patch I am still mad at you for doctoring that poor photo of me. waaaaaaah. By the way, I have another I may scan of me slamming someone on the pavement. If you could cut out the perps face and put, say, Joe Shaw's face in I would forever be greatful.

To lighten the mood, I must say Croda that although I suspected your family was made up of circus midgets and you were run away from the Lobsterboy show, your reading of the riot act to Iron Head was a breath of fresh air. Certian things are beyond the pale, and although I will happily make fun of your genetic background in the pool (which seems to be rathert shallow recently -- I meant the gene pool and not the MBT) someone like OCS dipping his wick as it may into that particular puddle was out of line. You actually treated it rather more well than it deserved. Marlow my friend, I am not sure who said it on the General Forum, but a few rotten Apples from down under does not make the batch bad, as you said many are dinkum. After all, we had Pieper and Lewis which are no worse or no better than the crew you are talking about. I would wish to god that no one judges the USA based on Lewis!! Noba, let me know how many you are winning, including the grudge match I set you on. In fact, I have a special mission for you that should, with the agreement of the lord Berli earn your spurs finally when you have cleared the rest of the vermin out. Sean I am ready to pick up our game and taunts. I have this weekend off from both jobs. [ February 28, 2002, 12:46 AM: Message edited by: Slapdragon ]

Who me? Hehe, wouldn't a mattered if Croda had posted a picture of a teapot there'd been a fight break out. I Love this place. Just keeps reminding me of Kelly's Hero's. "Sarge, I think I got the crabs." </font>

ICS -- Steve is more talking about your methodology than your answer. When you take your first College history course you will see (if your prof is good) that methodology is more important than opinion in history. Everyone has an opinion, often of little worth, of history. This is why history is said to be socially constructed. But very few people use some sort of methodology is talking about historical truths.

Just because I used to grow flowers: The flower on the flag is a Kornblume -- centaurea cyanus (called a "Bachelor's Button" in the US or sometimes a “Cornflower” after the German usage), of the order compositae. It was the favorite flower of "Kaiser" Wilhelm I and incorporated into many German images. In the US you see the flower all of the time in German – American parades. It is a symbol of the traditional German spirit. The symbol on the flag is sometimes seen in Estonian symbology, where the Cornflower is also seen as a symbol of traditional Germanic values. In fact, it is the current national flower of Estonia. This is also one of the reasons why that particular shade of blue is associated with the Estonian state.

Tom - you are right. A clockwise rotating swastika is an ancient symbol of life and harmony, used by several cultures throughout history. The Nazis took this symbol and then reversed it to reflect their ideology, so you may be assured Mr Sakai that if you see an anti-clockwise swastika it is a Nazi symbol every time.</font>

Track extensions that made a tank's ride better by increasing the "float" of the tracks. They look like someone has taken a little row of spare track and added it to the regular track.

Late production models had this armor incorporated at the factory and not as add on plates. By WW2 end the standard Sherman A3 factory model had a wide range of improvements that came right from the factory, including HVSS, 47 degree bow, one peice armor, improved gyros, 76mm gun, wet stroage, thicker armor, reworked turret basket, wide tracks, grousers, and Ford engine.

Seriously, take some serious courses in historical methods and then learn to use archives and libraries to do primary source research.

The United States Army used MPs to stop and in some cases shoot deserters in Korea.

It may seem that way because some units go to ground very fast. A unit that has gone to ground is much more difficult to pick off.

I agree Sean, does this mean you will quit posting to the pool though, or are you going to bribe someone to read your drivel? Tell you what Iron Chef and Iron Chef4. send me an e-mail at my address listed please. Just write "e-mail for you" subject and no text in the body.

You have to realize that the above is a reinterpretation leaving out some very important data to make things look different than they really were. First was that provisional company groups which were suppose to hold medium tanks entered battle with M24. Next that the US tac air power from the air force really did little of no CAS until the hills campaign. They did strike deap, but they did not support units well on the front lines with the exception of the Marine air wings. Of the recorded tank battels of Korea, all were combined arms battles. Also the comment that the Korean tankers just drove down the road is just a recognition that in the hilly terrian tanks just could not head off cross crountry in many circumstances. The NKPA fought very well, with considereable skill, and got their butts kicked.

Are you sure? The Chinese invaded in force in November 1950.</font>

Current research from Russian archives shows that the NKPA eventually received 450 T-34/85 from Russia. 150 were in hand at the start of the conflict plus some older SU-76 which had been the main stay of the amroed force when it fought the Nationalist Chinese. 2/3 were destroyed in tank battles in 1950. Almost every tank was destroyed by the end of the war, mostly by air power.

Berli, here is some Marine tidbits. Chesty Puller felt that the air force was no good at CAS. He was quoted in Washington as saying "(the air force) has never practiced (CAS)". This was during hearings to determine how the Marines would be fit into the overall defense picture, which we know he won in part because of Marine performance in Korea. August 7th 1950 is an example of a great all arms action. The Marines used tanks, infantry anti-tank weapons, and Corsairs to engage and drive off T-34 armed NKPA toops near Masun. The Marines where using M26 in this particular battle, although all of there tanks where refurbished cast offs. The Chinese never really had much for tanks. First was because the Russians where charging nearly 75,000 USD per T-34 at the same time that a used M4A3 Easy 8 could be bought on the world market for 25,000 USD. Second, because all sorts of vehicles were dead meat as soon as they crossed the Yalu. The Chinese officially entered the conflict in 1951, although Chinese soldier in fact were in country from the earliest parts of the war.

No, the M24 was not changed from a light tank. It was however assigned to battalion and company slots that called for mediums, as it was the only tank in Japan that was ready for immediate deployment. The US had no concept that the cold war was dawning on them and had disarmed to a great degree when Korea came about. Berli, let me reread the Marine corp armor section in my sources, as they did have M26 tanks and went ashore in Inchon with them. However, the Marines were not the only group with CAS, they just had the best coordination in Korea. CAS started in the Army in WW2 in North Africa, where it was very poor, and was improved until CAS air sets where actually installed in some tanks in ETO. In Korea CAS was an important factor, but not until the front stabilized. In 1950 the air force mostly tasked itself with deeper strikes on lines of communication. I have to read more about Corsair CAS, which is again first mentioned at Inchon but may have been a factor in the retreat.