The Daily for Wednesday Nov 11, 2020

[bennybear]

2 hours ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

Good morning and thanks for the update.

I remember being in the UK several times on Remembrance Day and the appropriate ceremonies that were observed.   I was also onboard Oosterdam and there was a service onboard that was well attended.

     Raining and still warm here but supposed to get cooler tonight .

I received an email from HAL last night about a change in itinerary for the Rotterdam premier. 
        Dubrovnik is out for operational reasons and had been changed to Zadir.

           Blessings and prayers to all on our lists.

We’re also on the inaugural hopefully.   For us that is a plus, as we’ve been to Dubrovnik many times.  Just not sure the summer sailing will work for us. 

[rafinmd]

6 minutes ago, bennybear said:

We’re also on the inaugural hopefully.   For us that is a plus, as we’ve been to Dubrovnik many times.  Just not sure the summer sailing will work for us. 

I know Italy is reeling from a big spike.  I hope it doesn't affect the shipyard again.

 

Roy

[tamsno]

"With Thanks of a Grateful Nation" to all military  

HAL blog has several articles about their ships during the world wars.  Notably, Nieuw Statendam II logged 530,452 miles carrying over 400,000 troops during WWII.  In WW1Statendam II, renamed Justicia as a troopship, was torpedoed and sunk in 1918.

Prayers and Cheers to everyone.

 

 

[tamsno]

Sorry that's Nieuw Amsterdam II in WWII

[richwmn]

2 hours ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

I received an email from HAL last night about a change in itinerary for the Rotterdam premier. 
        Dubrovnik is out for operational reasons and had been changed to Zadir.

I received that email as well. I think we will see a few more changes as everything settles out.

[rafinmd]

Just passed 11:11 plus 2 minutes Eastern time.  Perhaps I should have stood outside at 5:11 when it was 11:11 in Paris but I was asleep then.

 

Roy

[HAL Sailer]

51 minutes ago, bennybear said:

Good morning and in honour of Remembrance Day,  a photo of RMS Queen Elizabeth in New York with service men returning home after WW 2.   And another of my very young father in law on V day.  

My father and four brothers shipped off to England on the similarly crowded RMS Queen Mary. The story goes that dad bribed the Head Cook by doing kitchen tasks unassigned to him so that dad could sleep on the galley drainboard as it was less crowded than his rotating 'hot bunk' berth. True or tale??? Dad was known to be very ingenious, but he was also quite the tease...

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Good morning, all! We will stand outside at the 11th hour to honour Remembrance Day, or Veterans Day south of the border. Funny to think that has just passed for many of us, while for others of us it’s still a few hours away.

The meal suggestion sounds good for a cold day. If I ever need to be lured into a trap, a good Willamette Valley Pinot Noir would certainly do the trick.

🌺Lest We Forget🌺 /

[Vict0riann]

Good morning all, and thank you to Rich and Roy for getting us all together on Remembrance Day here in Canada.  I remember my DFIL and his brothers, who served in WWI and WWII and various other wars, my uncle in the Canadian Army in Europe and a cousin of my mother's, who was in the US Navy in the Far East and then in Europe.  I don't know if my father counts as a veteran, he was in the Shanghai Volunteer Corps, and then imprisoned by the Japanese as a civilian, but he certainly experienced wartime hardship.  Another uncle did leave China in time and joined the Indian Army in India.  My father's sister joined up in England and worked at Bletchley Park.  That generation all did their bit.

 

 

[rafinmd]

I think today's sunrise is the first of a 2013 combination, the Crystal Symphony New York to Miami, and the Prinsendam continuing to the Amazon.  November 11 the Symphony was at sea from Grand Turk to Curacao;

 

 

Roy

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good afternoon all.

 

In honor of Veterans Day, I am remembering and honoring relatives who have served in the military.  My grandfather was in the Navy during WWi, and my father was in the Army Medical Corp (non-medical) during WWII.  My FIL was also in the Army and stationed on Guam toward the end of the war where he worked as a mechanic on the B-29s.

 

Two of my late SIL's sons have served in the military.  One is an Air Force officer, and the other retired four years ago from the Marines as a Gunnery Sargent. 

 

Their grandfather was hero on D-Day.  Capt. Joseph T. Dawson of the Big Red !, leading a company on shore at Omaha Beach.  Just after he and two others left his landing craft, it was hit killing most of his company headquarters personnel.  He managed to find a path at the end of the bluffs, and led a few men up to the top.  He was literally, the first man off Omaha Beach that day.  He also took out a German machine gun nest with a throw of two grenades, which cleared the way for others to reach the top of the cliffs in addition to saving his life.  As a side note, the viewing platform at the cemetery is located on the site of the machine gun nest.  Although he was shot in the leg, he and a few other soldiers hid in a church in Colleville-sur-Mer. 

 

Besides the D-Day landing, he took part in the invasion of North Africa, Sicily, and fought on into Germany where he held off German troops at a ridge outside Aachen, Germany.  The ridge became known as Dawson's ridge.  For his action, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which General Eisenhower pinned on him.

 

Like so many WWII soldiers, he never talked about his experiences.  The family did not find out about much of his exploits until he was asked to introduce President Clinton at the 50th anniversary ceremony at the American Cemetery in Normandy in 1994.

[St Pete Cruiser]

Greetings from a rainy and breezy St Petersburg, FL this afternoon.  Tropical Storm Eta is off our coast now.  It fortunately has lessened in strength as it was briefly this morning a hurricane.  We have had heavy rain at times with blustery winds, but little damage according to the local news.  We live on a good sized pond, and while watching the storm from our balcony (being a loyal Holland America man, I call it my verandah) a nice size otter swam by and seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

Our Veterans Day flags have been well rinsed!  Thank you veterans, present and past.

[Overhead Fred]

Well we did get a fair bit of snow last night. Fortunately, it did not get too bad until after our pizza run. We had a bit of everything, rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Quite wet and sloppy. 

 

This morning, the sun came out and it was rather pretty. We have put out some bird feeders and have been enjoying the feathered visitors. Watching the squirrels try to get to the feeders has also been fun, so far they haven't figured it out but I'm sure they will keep trying!

 

Mitzi likes Old Fashioneds but prefers the Wisconsin version - using Brandy instead of Whiskey.

[Himself]

2 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

Well we did get a fair bit of snow last night. Fortunately, it did not get too bad until after our pizza run. We had a bit of everything, rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Quite wet and sloppy. 

 

This morning, the sun came out and it was rather pretty. We have put out some bird feeders and have been enjoying the feathered visitors. Watching the squirrels try to get to the feeders has also been fun, so far they haven't figured it out but I'm sure they will keep trying!

 

Mitzi likes Old Fashioneds but prefers the Wisconsin version - using Brandy instead of Whiskey.

Never heard of it with Brandy!  Since I was once an FSC, I might try it with Christian Brothers Brandy.  The next time I am at Popeyes in Lake Geneva, I might order one for lunch.  I'll see if they can make it.

[iflyrc5]

The American Cemetery near Omaha Beach - the site of the D-Day Landing - our visit in Oct 2019

[Marmot@Sea]

Good Afternoon.

 

May we all remember and reflect upon the sacrifices made and honoured on this day of remembrance.

 

This photograph was taken yesterday.  It is part of a larger poppy display in the front of our local grocery store.

 

 

Val

[DeeniEncinitas]

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I think today's sunrise is the first of a 2013 combination, the Crystal Symphony New York to Miami, and the Prinsendam continuing to the Amazon.  November 11 the Symphony was at sea from Grand Turk to Curacao;

 

 

Roy

Thank you Roy!!

I sure did need this today😊

Denise😊

[erewhon]

Thanks for all the information.

Yesterday (the 11th) was Armistice Day here.

Lest we forget.

Edited November 12, 2020 by erewhon

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Talk about a senior moment!  I forgot to mention my DH who was in the Army in 1968 to 1970.  He was stationed at Pictatinny Arsenal on Dover, NJ.

[DeeniEncinitas]

3 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Good afternoon all.

 

In honor of Veterans Day, I am remembering and honoring relatives who have served in the military.  My grandfather was in the Navy during WWi, and my father was in the Army Medical Corp (non-medical) during WWII.  My FIL was also in the Army and stationed on Guam toward the end of the war where he worked as a mechanic on the B-29s.

 

Two of my late SIL's sons have served in the military.  One is an Air Force officer, and the other retired four years ago from the Marines as a Gunnery Sargent. 

 

Their grandfather was hero on D-Day.  Capt. Joseph T. Dawson of the Big Red !, leading a company on shore at Omaha Beach.  Just after he and two others left his landing craft, it was hit killing most of his company headquarters personnel.  He managed to find a path at the end of the bluffs, and led a few men up to the top.  He was literally, the first man off Omaha Beach that day.  He also took out a German machine gun nest with a throw of two grenades, which cleared the way for others to reach the top of the cliffs in addition to saving his life.  As a side note, the viewing platform at the cemetery is located on the site of the machine gun nest.  Although he was shot in the leg, he and a few other soldiers hid in a church in Colleville-sur-Mer. 

 

Besides the D-Day landing, he took part in the invasion of North Africa, Sicily, and fought on into Germany where he held off German troops at a ridge outside Aachen, Germany.  The ridge became known as Dawson's ridge.  For his action, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which General Eisenhower pinned on him.

 

Like so many WWII soldiers, he never talked about his experiences.  The family did not find out about much of his exploits until he was asked to introduce President Clinton at the 50th anniversary ceremony at the American Cemetery in Normandy in 1994.

Thank you Thank you for such a wonderful story of your family!!  We all should be proud of all their bravery!!

Today is a memorable time that we reflect with compassion our hero’s!

Sincerely

Denise😊