Lesser Known History

[woodsdog2]

The Miracle on the Vistula

In 1920, Lenin and his Bolsheviks were pushing towards Warsaw, Poland to seize the capital almost guaranteeing a victory for Boleshivism in Europe pushing further westward. However, General Pilsudski of Poland had a trick up his sleeve. His cryptologists cracked the Soviet signal code and Pilsudski knew in advance the Soviet movements and was able to plus up his severely outmanned and outgunned forces in the correct locations. But the Poles weren't just listening into the Soviet radio communications--they were also sending out messages of their own. In fact, they were reciting the Book of Genesis from the Bible across the radiowaves in Latin and Polish. This caused a Soviet Army moving north to miss instructions to flank westward and encircle Warsaw. The 35,000+ Bolshevik troops were taken prisoner in Lithuania shortly thereafter. This victory at Warsaw in 1920 is one of the most significant victories in history. It stopped the spread of Bolshevism in Europe, created the Polish Military Intelligence Corps, and was a David (Poland) vs Goliath (Russia) type of victory, known today as the Miracle on the Vistula.

One key battle, the Battle of Ossow on the outskirts of town saw boys from a Catholic Secondary School, many 16-18 years old take up volunteer arms. With only 2 weeks of formal military training they took up arms and halted a Soviet advance--just long enough for proper infantry reinforcements to arrive. Many of them laid down their lives for the defense of Warsaw, including their Chaplain Father Ignacy Skorupka who became a hero and martyr of the war. There are two varying accounts of his death: one has him leading a charge of his pupils forward on the battlefield, crucifix in hand and being cut down by machine gun fire, the second, has him taking a bullet while administering last rights to a fallen comrade. His sacrifice strengthened the resolve of the Polish Forces.

Some Americans also fought in the defense of Warsaw as volunteer pilots. Poland has been one of America's strongest allies since the birth of the United States. The Kosciusko Squadron was made up of volunteer American pilots who felt it honorable to return the favor in fighting for Poland's independence, as Taddeus Kosciusko had done for the Americans during the Revolution. The most forward US Military Garrison in Poland today, resides at Camp Kosciusko in Poznan, Poland. I know so, because I'm laying here on my cot in an Army barracks at this very moment. The Kosciusko Squadron also fought in the Battle of Britain in World War 2 some years later. One of the pilots, Merian C. Cooper, went on to direct and produce the Hollywood Hit King Kong after the war in 1933.

Godspeed to you brother! Thank you for your service! I pray for your safety. Appreciate your patriotism.

 

[Weldabeast]

 

[Weldabeast]

 

[BTaylor]

A pair of gecko gloves with amsteel aiders would be a sweet way to climb a tree.

 

[Weldabeast]

 

[Weldabeast]

This is the very first mock up of the 9/11 memorial fountain.....this was approved and we went into production.....see the 3 small pipes down by the bottom of the weir edge? In the winter hot water is run thru them so ice won't form on the edge of the weir......now u know some little known trivial facts. Now it just gathers dust on my mezzanine and I show it off to total strangers on the interwebs

 

[HuumanCreed]

So my wife love to go to the pound store at Goodwill for random treasures. Her goal is to find that $5 item that she can sell for $500,000. I tag along to watch her cart. Well, 5 years ago on one of those trip, I look at the bin of old books and saw something labelled Army and Registry. So curiously I picked it up. It was a 1966 U.S. Army Officer Payroll Registry. Opened it up and I could not believed my eyes. It listed ALL active duty officers serving in the Army in 1966 plus their home address, birthday, parents, AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!!!! Over tens of thousands of names. Colin Powell for example.....

That book is currently in my safe until I'm sure that everyone named in the book has passed away. Then donate it to some place that I know is not simply going to destroy it.

 

[Weldabeast]

So my wife love to go to the pound store at Goodwill for random treasures. Her goal is to find that $5 item that she can sell for $500,000. I tag along to watch her cart. Well, 5 years ago on one of those trip, I look at the bin of old books and saw something labelled Army and Registry. So curiously I picked it up. It was a 1966 U.S. Army Officer Payroll Registry. Opened it up and I could not believed my eyes. It listed ALL active duty officers serving in the Army in 1966 plus their home address, birthday, parents, AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!!!! Over tens of thousands of names. Colin Powell for example.....

That book is currently in my safe until I'm sure that everyone named in the book has passed away. Then donate it to some place that I know is not simply going to destroy it.

Masters green jacket found in thrift store sold at auction for nearly $140,000

Sold Masters green jacket reportedly dates from the 1950s may signal an Arnold Palmer-fueled surge in golf memorabilia prices

www.golfdigest.com

 

[Weldabeast]

1 more fountain tidbit that is pretty neat......where I work we got very limited forming capabilities. The weir radius was formed from full length sheets so we had to sub that part out.....this little Italian dude named Joe hand formed all those pieces on a huge hydraulic brake built in the 40s or 50s

 

[Weldabeast]

 

[Sipsey]

Excellent! Them times is gone.

 

[Weldabeast]

Excellent! Them times is gone.

I have met a handful of true old florida crackers and most said ibis and green sea turtles were some of the favorite things to eat.

If u like to read there is a great book that is fiction but also as historically accurate as possible. It tells the story of a family that arrives in Florida in 1850s and follows the family up into the 1970s. "A land remembered" by a guy named Patrick smith. I highly recommend

 

[Sipsey]

I have met a handful of true old florida crackers and most said ibis and green sea turtles were some of the favorite things to eat.

If u like to read there is a great book that is fiction but also as historically accurate as possible. It tells the story of a family that arrives in Florida in 1850s and follows the family up into the 1970s. "A land remembered" by a guy named Patrick smith. I highly recommend

I love the history of those early settlers. I’ll search for that book. My local history revolves around a small stream that goes by the Indian name, Sipsi. I started float fishing with my Dad and relatives in the late 50s on 10-12 hour trips through the swamps. We caught Spotted bass and what ever else we could catch. I dug into some old stories with the help of notes and recordings by an old relative that saved as much as he could about the early residents and the beginning of cow pasture baseball in the late 20s. I’ve collected and written 16 short stories for a collection. This publishing stuff is harder than I thought, but with a little help, it might happen.

 

[Sipsey]

I have met a handful of true old florida crackers and most said ibis and green sea turtles were some of the favorite things to eat.

If u like to read there is a great book that is fiction but also as historically accurate as possible. It tells the story of a family that arrives in Florida in 1850s and follows the family up into the 1970s. "A land remembered" by a guy named Patrick smith. I highly recommend

Just ordered, “A Land Remembered,” By Patrick Smith. Be here Monday, thanks!

 

[Weldabeast]

Once u finish that 1 if u like it he has other books that are great too ....."the river is home" is the next 1 I would recommend.....it's based in Mississippi and the main character name skeeter.

 

[colin.704]

Oh My favorite is the Younger Dryas and listening to Randal Carlson- Graham Handcock talking about when the comet hit earth and knocked humans back into the stone age. Also UnchartedX talking about these pre-dynastic stone vases found in Egypt that are so precise that modern lathes and CAD could not replicate today. that is the wildest stuff on the internet. check this out

 

[Sipsey]

I have met a handful of true old florida crackers and most said ibis and green sea turtles were some of the favorite things to eat.

If u like to read there is a great book that is fiction but also as historically accurate as possible. It tells the story of a family that arrives in Florida in 1850s and follows the family up into the 1970s. "A land remembered" by a guy named Patrick smith. I highly recommend

Just ordered, “A Land Remembered,” By Patrick Smith. Be here Monday, thanks!

Once u finish that 1 if u like it he has other books that are great too ....."the river is home" is the next 1 I would recommend.....it's based in Mississippi and the main character name skeeter.

I also like reading about early hunters and trappers in the US, and even abroad. Have you ever read anything by Jim Corbett? He wrote Man-Eaters of Kumaon in 1944, about trekking to remote villages in early India to hunt man eating tigers that were terrorizing small villages.

 

[Weldabeast]

I either read that 1 or listened on audio book I'm pretty sure.....I can't remember the title but I read something similar about this badazz hunting jaguars in the S' merica pantanal

 

[Sipsey]

I either read that 1 or listened on audio book I'm pretty sure.....I can't remember the title but I read something similar about this badazz hunting jaguars in the S' merica pantanal

Thanks for the recommendation. Excellent read. Have you ever read “Tales of Fishes,” by Zane Grey? He claimed he wrote just so he could afford to chase huge Marlin. He kept a boat & Captain down in Mexico on his payroll, ready to go.

 

[thedutchtouch]

Thanks for the recommendation. Excellent read. Have you ever read “Tales of Fishes,” by Zane Grey? He claimed he wrote just so he could afford to chase huge Marlin. He kept a boat & Captain down in Mexico on his payroll, ready to go.

Small world, my parents live in the town he's buried in PA, I'll be there for Thanksgiving.