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This day in military history......
Sherman’s March to the Sea
From November 15 until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia.
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www.history.com

Sherman’s March to the Sea ‑ Route, General, Facts | HISTORY

Sherman's March to the Sea was a destructive Union offensive across Georgia in late 1864 that aimed to frighten locals into abandoning the Confederate cause.
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Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christophe Decasanova helps Gunner Sadler cut a cake in Gunner’s home in Bloomington, Ill., Dec. 18, 2021. The Marine Corps coordinated with the Sadler family to conduct the ceremony to honor Gunner’s strength and tenacity, guided by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Gunner’s father is a Marine Corps veteran who wanted to share a Corps tradition with his son. Photo By: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyler M. Solak

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Anthony McAuliffe (centre) and his officers in Bastogne, Belgium, December, 1944. The commander of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne would go down in history for his defiant, one syllable reply to a German surrender ultimatum.​


In mid-December 1944, Allied forces were surprised by a massive German offensive through the Ardennes Forrest that created a “bulge” in the Allied lines. Caught in what would become known as the “Battle of the Bulge,” the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Armed Forces was holed up in Bastogne while German armored divisions encircled the town. Outnumbered, outgunned, and running out of food, ammunition, and medical supplies, the embattled assistant division commander, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, faced bleak prospects.

On December 22, the American troops were sent an ultimatum from the German forces outside of the town, demanding “the honorable surrender” of the town within two hours. General McAuliffe reply was brief and succinct:

“To the German Commander:

N U T S !

The American Commander”​

Having made their position clear, the Americans dug in and waited for the attack. Contrary to German expectations, the 101st held out and reinforcements arrived in the form of the US Army’s 4th Armored Division. The Battle of the Bulge continued for several more weeks, with thousands of casualties on both sides, but by the end of January 1945, the Allies had retaken all the territory lost to the Germans and were headed toward Berlin.

www.army.mil

The story of the NUTS! reply

This story retraces the events of December 22nd, 1944 at Bastogne, Belgium, the day we received German surrender ultimatum and issued the subsequent
www.army.mil www.army.mil
taskandpurpose.com

Surrounded. Low on supplies. Freezing. The Nazis demanded his surrender. He replied: 'Nuts!"

On Dec. 22, 1944, 4 German soldiers walked to American lines in Bastogne, Belgium with a message asking for surrender. The general said no.
taskandpurpose.com taskandpurpose.com
 
Today in Military History:

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USS Pueblo crew members cross the bridge from North Korea at Panmunjom after their release on December 23, 1968. (Pete Vegell/Stars and Stripes​

The crew and captain of the U.S. intelligence gathering ship Pueblo are released December 23, 1968, after 11 months imprisonment by the government of North Korea. The ship, and its 83-man crew, was seized by North Korean warships on January 23 and charged with intruding into North Korean waters.

The seizure infuriated U.S. President Lyndon Johnson. Later, he claimed that he strongly suspected (although it could not be proven) that the incident with the Pueblo, coming just a few days before the communist Tet Offensive in South Vietnam, was a coordinated diversion. At the time, however, Johnson did little. The Tet Offensive, which began just a week after the ship was taken by North Korea, exploded on the front pages and televisions of America and seemed to paralyze the Johnson administration. To deal with the Pueblo incident, the United States urged the U.N.’s Security Council to condemn the action and pressured the Soviet Union to negotiate with the North Koreans for the ship’s release.

It was 11 long months before the Pueblo‘s men were freed. Both captain and crew were horribly treated and later recounted their torture at the hands of the North Koreans. With no help in sight, Captain Lloyd Bucher reluctantly signed a document confessing that the ship was spying on North Korea. With this propaganda victory in hand, the North Koreans released the prisoners and also returned the body of one crewman who died in captivity. Some Americans criticized Johnson for not taking decisive retaliatory action against North Korea; others argued that he should have used every diplomatic means at his disposal to secure a quick release for the crew. In any case, the event was another blow to Johnson and America’s Cold War foreign policy.

Commander Bucher did not receive any kind of award for his leadership and conduct in captivity. However, several of his crewmen did as a result of exceptional resistance to North Korean interrogation and torture, although all were downgraded one level below what Bucher recommended. Sergeant Robert J. Hammond, USMC, was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism as he “through his unyielding resistance and fierce loyalty to his shipmates and country, became a symbol of resistance, courage, and dedication to the United States.” Silver Star Medals were awarded to Lieutenant Frederic Carl Schumacher and posthumously to Fireman Duane Hodges. In addition, six Bronze Star Medals (with Combat V) were awarded. When the Prisoner of War Medal was created in 1985, the crew of Pueblo was initially not considered eligible (despite the “Combat V” on previous awards) because the U.S. Navy classified them as “illegally detained” rather than “prisoners of war.” Congress passed a law overturning this characterization, and the crew was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal in 1990 along with a Purple Heart for wounds suffered in the initial attack, and beatings and torture endured in captivity.

Following his release, Bucher was subjected to a court of inquiry by the Navy. A court martial was recommended. However, the Secretary of the Navy, John H. Chafee, intervened on Bucher's behalf and no action was taken against him. Bucher followed his orders to not start any international incidents, and he felt that while a ship could be replaced, lives could not.

Bucher was not found guilty of any indiscretions and continued his Navy career until retirement in the rank of commander.

USS Pueblo remains the second oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. However, it is a museum ship in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

www.stripes.com

Pueblo crew of 82 freed by N. Korea

The 82 crewmen of the USS Pueblo began their trek to freedom Monday at 11:30 a.m. Korean standard time across a small footbridge nicknamed "the bridge of no return" leading from North Korea to the truce site at Panmunjom.
www.stripes.com www.stripes.com

H-025-3 USS Pueblo Crew Release

H-Gram 025, Attachment 3 Samuel J. Cox, Director NHHC 31 January 2019
www.history.navy.mil www.history.navy.mil
 
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"Eighth Army soldiers did Thursday what Eighth Army soldiers have done in South Korea’s capital city this time of year since 1951. They turned out for temporary duty as Santa’s helpers and delivered toys to the Namsan-won Orphanage built by their predecessors during the Korean War. For 70 years, Namsan-won and Eighth Army have worked together to make Christmas a holiday the children can look forward to. The orphanage, founded in 1951 in Namsan in the heart of Seoul, was built by South Korean and Eighth Army soldiers. The orphanage, itself a historic site, is home today to 47 children – 19 boys and 28 girls ranging from 3 months to teenagers."
www.stripes.com

Eighth Army continues Christmas toy tradition in Seoul born of Korean War

For 70 years, Namsan-won Orphanage and Eighth Army have worked together to make Christmas a holiday the children can celebrate.
www.stripes.com www.stripes.com
 
"Every year around the holidays, millions of children worldwide anticipate the festivities associated with Christmas: the carefully wrapped presents, a fresh snowfall that covers Santa Claus-decorated households, the piney smell of the tree, and spending time with friends and family.

But in 1948, the children of Berlin weren’t searching for Santa Claus — they needed a Christmas miracle. And his name was Gail Halvorsen, the famed “Berlin Candy Bomber” who dropped boxes of chocolate and gum from his plane using tiny handkerchief parachutes to the smiling children below, often at the instruction of crayon-drawn maps and letters. The spirit of Christmas was fueled by Halvorsen’s desire to restore the hope the Soviets were threatening to extinguish."

coffeeordie.com

Fighting Communism with Candy: The Berlin Candy Bomber

Every year around the holidays, millions of children worldwide anticipate the festivities associated with Christmas: the carefully wrapped presents, a fresh snowfall that covers Santa Claus-decorated households, the piney smell of the tree, and spending time with friends and family. But in 1948...
coffeeordie.com coffeeordie.com
 
Today in Military History:

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Just after midnight on Christmas morning 1914 , the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.

www.iwm.org.uk

The Real Story of the Christmas Truce

The Christmas Truce has become one of the most famous and mythologised events of the First World War. But what was the real story behind the truce? Why did it happen and did British and German soldiers really play football in no-man's land?
www.iwm.org.uk www.iwm.org.uk
www.smithsonianmag.com

The Story of the WWI Christmas Truce

It has become a great legend of World War I. But what really happened when British and German troops emerged from their trenches that Christmas Day?
www.smithsonianmag.com www.smithsonianmag.com
 
BarnBuster said:
Today in Military History:


Just after midnight on Christmas morning 1914 , the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.

www.iwm.org.uk

The Real Story of the Christmas Truce

The Christmas Truce has become one of the most famous and mythologised events of the First World War. But what was the real story behind the truce? Why did it happen and did British and German soldiers really play football in no-man's land?
www.iwm.org.uk www.iwm.org.uk
www.smithsonianmag.com

The Story of the WWI Christmas Truce

It has become a great legend of World War I. But what really happened when British and German troops emerged from their trenches that Christmas Day?
www.smithsonianmag.com www.smithsonianmag.com
Click to expand...
I have read it said that that was the last night of the 19th century.
 
cannabineer said:
I have read it said that that was the last night of the 19th century.
Click to expand...
I had not heard/read that. A couple of additional articles...
warontherocks.com

The Last Gasp of Peace: The Christmas Truce of 1914 and the Modern Profession of Arms - War on the Rocks

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in 2019. The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914 is often considered “played out,” especially in
warontherocks.com

The Christmas Truce: Myth, Memory, and the First World War
 
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Sinbad, the canine-mascot of the USCGC Campbell during World War II, passed away at his last duty station, the Barnegat Lifeboat Station, at the ripe old age of 15 on December 30, 1952. He served on board the cutter throughout the war and earned his way into Coast Guard legend with his shipboard and liberty antics.

The Coast Guard Cutter Campbell steamed out from New York in the winter of 1937. Like most peacetime cutters, she was patrolling the American coast, both for national defense and lifesaving mission. On the first day of their patrol, the captain addressed his crew, explaining the seriousness of their missions, and that he expected all of them to be well behaved, hardworking, and disciplined. What he didn’t expect, though, was to be greeted by a small brown dog barking at him from behind the crew.

The night before, one of the crew, Boatswain’s Mate “Blackie” Roth had gotten his girlfriend a dog, hoping to make his absence less painful. But he hadn’t taken into account that her landlord had a no pets policy, and she couldn’t take the small brown ball of fur. Stowing the pup in his duffel bag Roth sneaked back on board, just before 8 PM. He and the other men decided that this small mutt would be their new mascot and that he needed a fitting salty sailor name. After much debate, they settled on Sinbad the Sailor.

The next day, during muster, while the captain was addressing the crew, Sinbad made his presence known. The Chief Boatswain’s Mate, a very respected position on board a cutter, pleaded with the captain, asking that Sinbad be allowed to stay on board. The captain was a kind fellow, and like all sailors had a soft spot for those trapped at sea. He allowed Sinbad to stay on board, with the warning that he was the crew’s responsibility, and that he would have to learn to behave himself.

Sinbad, the Coast Guard Sailor, was one of the most important aspects of life on board the Campbell. He won the heart of everyone he met, and the entire crew rallied around him.

During his 11 years at sea, he almost caused two international incidents, one in Greenland, the other in Casablanca. He also helped fight submarines, drank whiskey and beer, and did his duty to cheer up every sailor he met. Once at Barnegat, he continued this service until his last days.


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www.warhistoryonline.com

Meet Chief Dog Sinbad, The Cheerful and Brave Coast Guard Mascot of WW2

The Coast Guard Cutter Campbell steamed out from New York in the winter of 1937. She had a small four legged stowaway on board, who would soon be her mascot.
www.warhistoryonline.com www.warhistoryonline.com

Naval History Magazine

Bringing the history of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to life.
www.navalhistory.org www.navalhistory.org
en.wikipedia.org

Sinbad (dog) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
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