Patrick Fox

@cdrsalamander Good God, I know exactly what that screenshot is from. Well chosen.

On Dec. 8, 1944 George S. Patton had a number of worries, including how much his embattled Third Army was praying. Patton was a firm believer that the US Army had done so well in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy not only because the folks back home were praying for them, but because they were also praying for themselves. Famously remarking that individual prayer by soldiers was a necessity to prevent from "cracking up." In particular he was annoyed with the weather, remarking to his wife Beatrice that “There is about four inches of liquid mud over everything and it rains all the time, not hard but steadily.” So he called up the Chief Chaplain of the Third Army, James H. O'Neill and asked for a weather prayer. O'Neill couldn't find anything suitable, so he wrote one: Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen. Patton loved it, and ordered a quarter million copies to be printed and distributed throughout Third Army. O'Neill sent it to the 486 Chaplains under him and the senior officers of over 20 divisions with the following instruction (in Patton's name): “Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle…Pray for victory. Pray for our Army, and Pray for Peace.” 8 days later the Germans launched Operation Watch on the Rhine protected by the same bad weather, mauling allied forces and trapping the 101st Airborne and elements of other units at Bastogne. Patton, anticipating this, halted his eastward advance, changed his axis of attack, and assaulted north into the German left flank. The weather cleared on December 23rd and Patton at his headquarters in Luxembourg noted in his diary, “What a glorious day for killing Germans!” Three days later 4th Armored Division broke through to the besieged Airborne troopers and relieved Bastogne. In the aftermath, Patton credited O'Neill saying: “God damn! That O’Neill sure did some potent praying. Get him up here, I want to pin a medal on him.” When Father O'Neill turned up at headquarters, Patton told him “Chaplain, you’re the most popular man in this headquarters. You sure stand in good with the Lord and soldiers.” O'Neill was awarded the Bronze Star.

@secretsqrl123 David, I know for a fact you read for content better than that. When you want to.

@RealCynicalFox soooooo you are ok sending a single light battalion into Kharg island with little support where there are suicide bombers and 100s of FPV drones waiting for them. good to know

Every Marine I know right now:

@BRyvkin Boris that's interesting, I was always under the impression that Churchill detested Attlee.

@AndrewCFollett @HistoryMarche I may have been compelled to que up a little @sabaton afterwards!

@RealCynicalFox @HistoryMarche Then...the Winged Hussars arrived.

The folks over at @HistoryMarche do some fine work in making military history entertaining, accessible, and educational. youtu.be/1c5UV3EsQmk

@rsomething We have done it to Japan We will do it to Iran We will sink them on the seas We will sink them how we please

@RealCynicalFox The ship was unarmed and not in combat. When did randomly torpedoing Iranian ships in the Indian Ocean start being cool with you vile little dipshits?

I’m not a Navy guy, so someone may have to help me here. When did attacking from ambush and destroying the enemy while incurring minimal risk to our own personnel become a suboptimal choice?

@jeffery_haskell @jeffery_haskell I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your Grimm’s War series, looking forward to reading #9 next month.

@RealCynicalFox Only in the eyes of progressives.

@VetDad25 I'm so glad someone got that.

@RealCynicalFox Pun intended?

@Nikon1778 He was good, but I honestly think Nicholson gives him a run for his money with that character. Admittedly two very different portrayals for two very different movies.

@RealCynicalFox Bro, you guys are missing the GOAT Heath Ledger as the Joker.

Karl Urban as Judge Dredd, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday.

@SBean_Jr This was not intended as a 1-1 comparison, merely an analogy about shore based munitions posing significant dangers to ships, as I mentioned to Tom below. However, the coastal defense guns at Wake were taken from the USS Texas IIRC and were in stationary mounts.

@RealCynicalFox Did I say shore batteries were useless or does stationary artillery have a massive disadvantage to artillery that is actively moving around. And it tends to help if you have overwhelming fire on your side.

"A ship's a fool to fight a fort." As true today as when Admiral Horatio Nelson (allegedly) said it several hundred years ago. The ranges at which both can engage may have changed, but the lesson remains.

@SBean_Jr Correction, that should read "5 in shells".

The first IJN Destroyer sunk by US forces in the Pacific Theater is attributed to Battery L, USMC Garrison, Wake Island. The Marines put two 6in shells into the IJN Hayate's (Kamikaze-class) magazine from their position on Peale Islet at about 4,000-4,500 yards. She sank the morning of December 11th during the first landing attempt, only 1 member of her 148 man crew survived and was rescued.

Last night, U.S. forces executed a large-scale precision strike on Kharg Island, Iran. The strike destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers, and multiple other military sites. U.S. forces successfully struck more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, while preserving the oil infrastructure.

@tgdesrosier Long range land based shore (missile) batteries today are capable of doing a very similar job to what coastal defense forts used to do, is the point I was making. These days that can range from anti-ship ballistic missiles to long range missile artillery - as in this case.

@RealCynicalFox Unsure what your point is... That we didn't send CRUDES in to pound it out with 5 in guns?