Navy Trivia

[EA-6B1]

I think I should rephrase the question. What's the last full date that has all odd numbers in it. My bust. I didn't ask it right. That should make it easier.

 

[PU Grad]

11/19/1999

Sorry, math problems like that piss me off when I can't solve them.

Kobyra

 

[ea6bflyr]

OK...Here's a new one:
1. Where did the term 'Cup of Joe' come from?

2. What is the first name of the Navy's goat and the Marine Corps' Bulldog?

ea6bflyr

 

[twidget]

I'll take the first one, and I'm not going to look it up, so you'll just have to settle for an inexact answer.

Cup of Joe comes from the Secretary of the Navy, Joe Something, who outlawed rum rations on Navy ship's and replaced it with coffee. Hence the infamous name. I'm sure the sailors of the day did not coin this phrase as an endearing tribute to a beloved leader.

How close was I?

 

[bunk22]

Originally posted by philip78bull
O'Hare, accompanied by a wingman in another Grumman Hellcat, spotted nine Japanese twin-engine bombers zeroing in on O'Hare's floating home base, the aircraft carrier Lexington. At that crucial moment, only O'Hare and his wingmate were aloft. The rest of the Lexington's fighters were aboard the carrier refueling and reloading, with the enemy bombers only about four minutes from their target.

All told, O'Hare destroyed five of the nine invaders, with three more being killed by Lexington pilots who were able to take off after O'Hare first engaged the bombers. The last Japanese plane, badly damaged in the shootout with O'Hare, was able to get out of the immediate area, but is believed to have crashed at sea some distance away.

Just to be a bit more accurate, O'Hare actually attacked 8 bombers of the First-chutai formation flying an F4F Wildcat, not an F6F Hellcat. He actually only shot down 3, damaging 3 others in his attack. 2 of the 3 damaged made it back to their home base with the 3rd bomber being attacked by an SBD from VS-2. The bomber escaped from the SBD and eventually ditched in Simpson Harbor at Rabaul (due to weather, not combat damage). Regardless, his actions saved the Lex by breaking up the bombing run by the Betty's.

On 4 October 1943, O'Hare shot down a Zero flown by Kosaka Magoichi, of which there is gun camera confirming this victory. Later on that same day, O'Hare and his wingman shot down a Betty bomber, seen to crash by both into the ocean. Though both pilot's attacked the Betty, only O'Hare's fire found its mark so the bomber was credited to him.

So in reality, O'Hare was technically not the Navy's first ace, but he was still an ace as well as a navy hero and legend.

 

[Flash]

Yep....Congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham!

Who was his NFO/RIO?

What medals were they awarded for the day they made got their last 3 kills?

The SecNav who abolished alcohol on ships and why they call coffee a 'cup of joe' was Josephus Daniels.

 

[vegita1220]

I'm pretty sure they got Navy Crosses...don't know the other one off top of my head.

 

[schmuckatelli]

Originally posted by ea6bflyr
(California's capital city, Stockton, bears his name)

The capitol of CA is Sacramento, not Stockton.

 

[Flash]

I'm pretty sure they got Navy Crosses...don't know the other one off top of my head.

As far as I know, only Cunningham got the Navy Cross. His backseater only got the Silver Star.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Ooops! My bust....sorry.

Originally posted by schmuckatelli

Originally posted by ea6bflyr
(California's capital city, Stockton, bears his name)

The capitol of CA is Sacramento, not Stockton.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Nice job twidget!!

Josephus Daniels (18 May 1862-15 January 1948) was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Among his reforms of the Navy were inaugurating the practice of making 100 Sailors from the Fleet eligible for entrance into the Naval Academy, the introduction of women into the service, and the abolishment of the officers' wine mess. From that time on, the strongest drink aboard Navy ships could only be coffee and over the years, a cup of coffee became known as "a cup of Joe."

Originally posted by twidget
I'll take the first one, and I'm not going to look it up, so you'll just have to settle for an inexact answer.

Cup of Joe comes from the Secretary of the Navy, Joe Something, who outlawed rum rations on Navy ship's and replaced it with coffee. Hence the infamous name. I'm sure the sailors of the day did not coin this phrase as an endearing tribute to a beloved leader.

How close was I?

 

[ea6bflyr]

Here's another:

Who was "Hard Luck (or Bad Luck) Bill" and why did he get that name?

ea6bflyr

BTW, I teach Naval History!

 

[bunk22]

Originally posted by Flash
I'm pretty sure they got Navy Crosses...don't know the other one off top of my head.

As far as I know, only Cunningham got the Navy Cross. His backseater only got the Silver Star.

Willie Driscoll was Cunningham's RIO and he was awarded the Navy Cross as well. I have met both men a couple of times when I was stashed at TOPGUN in 93, awaiting flight school.

 

[twidget]

The Marine Corps' bulldog is Chesty, I think. Aren't they all Chestys? I think I heard somewhere that they're up to Chesty IIX or something.

The Navy's goat is Billy, though the original was El Cid (Chief), hence the name 'Goat Locker' for the Chief's Mess.

I can't believe my little thread has gotten all grow'd up. It's my first to make the Most Viewed list. The first one's always special.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Yet, another fine job by Twidget! You must really be a history buff. Chesty (named after 'Chesty' Puller) and Bill (the goat).

Here's a follow on question for the Marine Corps history buffs:

How did 'Chesty' Puller get his nickname?

ea6bflyr