The Army/Navy game

[outhereincali]

The fb they play isn't exciting. Rarely do both teams have a winning record in the same year.

But college fb used to be about tradition and the Army/Navy game has it in spades. It's a moving site to watch the brigade of midshipmen and the long gray line march into the stadium.

This is the highest compliment I can give to the players. Very few if any are good enough to play for Texas. But you have to have Ivy League caliber grades to get into the service academies and almost all of them are good enough to get into a school like Texas on their own.

Go army

 

[clob94]

Did you know that on June 6, 1944, Dwight D Eisenhower's son, John Eisenhower- graduated from West Point?

What are the odds?

 

[freeper]

Did you know that on June 6, 1944, Dwight D Eisenhower's son, John Eisenhower- graduated from West Point?

What are the odds?

John had a pretty tough row to hoe afterwards too. Not easy graduating without pops being there because he happens to be the Supreme Commander overseeing the most complex military operation of WWII, on the most momentous day of the Western European Campaign. I mean how do you even begin to measure up.

Lately I've just started reading "An Army at Dawn", book one of Rick Atkinson's excellent trilogy on the US Army in Europe during WWII. It's a very different Ike in those early pages, but wow does he grow and learn fast. Having to deal with French was a bigger pain than fighting the Germans. If any of y'all have a taste for World War II history, and you haven't read Atkinson's work, give it a try. He is also an excellent lecturer. Here's a YouTube video of his discussing the book.

 

[Oldmanastro]

John had a pretty tough row to hoe afterwards too. Not easy graduating without pops being there because he happens to be the Supreme Commander overseeing the most complex military operation of WWII, on the most momentous day of the Western European Campaign. I mean how do you even begin to measure up.

Lately I've just started reading "An Army at Dawn", book one of Rick Atkinson's excellent trilogy on the US Army in Europe during WWII. It's a very different Ike in those early pages, but wow does he grow and learn fast. Having to deal with French was a bigger pain than fighting the Germans. If any of y'all have a taste for World War II history, and you haven't read Atkinson's work, give it a try. He is also an excellent lecturer. Here's a YouTube video of his discussing the book.

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That’s a sharp dude. I enjoyed that, thanks for sharing. May ask for that book for Christmas.

 

[outhereincali]

I haven't read anything new WW2 history related but I did watch a couple of really good documentaries about it recently.

The first was about Finland's involvement in WW2. The Soviet Union invaded Finland not once but twice and were humiliated both times. It was the fly in the ointment in their war efforts. But the real hero in this was a man named Simo Heyha. He was the greatest sniper in history and probably the greatest soldier. In Finland it was called the 100 day war. Heyha had over 500 confirmed kills not an exaggeration. I won't go into detail but try to find a documentary about him he was a true war hero. The way Finland fought for their freedom gave me a profound respect for that country. I saw this one on the history channel.

The other one was about Japanese admiral Yamamoto. He was the brains behind Pearl Harbor. Fascinating man a brilliant tactician. Much has been said about him but I never get tired of learning about him. This was on PBS.

 

[freeper]

That’s a sharp dude. I enjoyed that, thanks for sharing. May ask for that book for Christmas.

So basically Texas won WWII. Eisenhower, Texas born, leading the armies in Europe, and Nimitz, son of the Hill Country guiding the effort against Japan. If you want a great read on Nimitz, I highly recommend Professor Craig Symonds: "Nimitz at War".

 

[outhereincali]

So basically Texas won WWII. Eisenhower, Texas born, leading the armies in Europe, and Nimitz, son of the Hill Country guiding the effort against Japan. If you want a great read on Nimitz, I highly recommend Professor Craig Symonds: "Nimitz at War".

Well let's not get carried away with an Eisenhower/Texas connection 😊

He lived mostly in Kansas and identified more with Kansas than Texas.

 

[oldhorn2]

Simo Heya was indeed the greatest snyper ever
I read that his actual kill total might have been closer to 800..... No special rifle either
I also read that damned near all Finn's are excellent snipers

 

[Oldmanastro]

Good game. Enjoying it. BS unsportsmanlike penalty after the TD.

 

[outhereincali]

Simo Heya was indeed the greatest snyper ever
I read that his actual kill total might have been closer to 800..... No special rifle either
I also read that damned near all Finn's are excellent snipers

He was only 5'2" but he had more balls than men much bigger then he.

 

[Oldmanastro]

He was only 5'2" but he had more balls than men much bigger then he.

That’s what she said.