The Merchant Marine Memorial in New York City's Battery Park

This monument is dedicated to the US Merchant Marine sailors who lost their lives during WWII. 1 in 26 never came home, a higher proportional loss than any of the armed services. About 8,300 mariners were killed at sea, 12,000 wounded of whom at least 1,100 died from their wounds, and 663 men and women were taken prisoner. 

This monument was designed by the artist Marisol (1930-2016). It is based on a photo taken by the Captain Reinhard Hardegen of U-123 after sinking the SS Muskogee on March 22, 1942. After torpedoing the lone tanker, the U-boat surfaced and took photos of the survivors, before diving and leaving them adrift on a burning sea, never to be seen again.

 

Twice each day the tide “drowns” the sailor at the bottom. The monument had a poignant plaque. There has been a lot of construction in the area for flood control, to prevent the flooding downtown Manhattan experienced during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In the process, the plaque was removed. People line up there for tickets to tour the Statue of Liberty. Perhaps they think it has something to do with the Titanic.

 

My father and grandfather both sailed on Liberty ships during the war. Neither was sunk, though my grandfather did notice after a nighttime attack that the ship behind his in the convoy was gone the next morning.  Born years after the war, I do not fancy U-boats.

I have written the Battery Conservancy asking for the plaque to be replaced. If you are so moved, they can be emailed at the following link. info@thebattery.org

Who needs the Light Brigade? Kurudere, 1854, Bloody Big Battles

We played the 1854 battle of Kurudere on Saturday. Jay was Mustafa Zarif Pasha, an administrator commanding under protest a large, trashy army. Andrew and I had the Russians under Prince Bebutov, a smaller force of trained troops, some veteran. All of the infantry and the dragoons were rated aggressive. Up against fragile units, many of them raw, cold steel looked like a good bet. We have played the battle in the past, long before covid, without the proper figures. I made mistakes then with the terrain and deployment that gave the Turks a fine artillery platform from the start. I figured this would be corrected this time. Also, I now had a Crimean Russian army and an Ottoman force. It turned out I had miscalculated so a couple Napoleonic cavalry units were drafted to help the Russians. Otherwise, we had figures that looked right. 

The Ottomans moved first. Then Andrew, an aggressive player, struck with a cavalry charge. And away we went. I had the Russian right flank and slowly put together a two-stand battery on the extreme right flank. This dissuaded Jay from bringing on his left flank on the north table edge when they arrived (on turn 4, the dice decided), using the west edge instead, weighted towards the center.

 

Jay had to leave after turn 6 and I was selected to take over the Ottomans, who I had just been beating up. A brief brain transplant, a fez and I was a pasha. I noted that the Ottoman left wasn’t anywhere near the 3 objectives that started in Russian hands. There were very aggressive Russian troops between my lads and them. I was doing well enough to hold them off. The only option was to fight for a tie by denying complete Russian control of the hilltop. As long as one of my units was still on it by the end of turn 8 the game would be a tie. Jay had put together a 4 base artillery grand battery that took the northern part of the hilltop under fire.   

The game took 4 hours. It would have gone faster with 4 players but Real Life had intervened; Fencible Carl was unable to attend. As the game ended my wife informed me that England had just scored a goal 3 minutes into that 3rd place game I thought would be a dud. After Andrew saddled up I watched that game, as much of a furball as the one on the Ottoman left/Russian right. That was entertainment, 10 goals and all. Nobody cried at the end. They’d got that out of their systems during the semi-finals, when Spain and Argentina closed the door to the final.

 

And now, the butcher’s bill. The Russian army had 27 bases of infantry, 14 cavalry and 5 artillery. They lost 7 infantry bases and 4 of cavalry. Another 3 cavalry bases fled.

 

The Ottomans had 47 infantry bases, 14 cavalry and 6 artillery. Losses were 12 infantry, 5 cavalry and 1 artillery. 3 infantry and 3 cavalry bases fled.

 

The local undertakers were pleased. Business was good.

 

Having played this game several times as the Russian, I had been focused on how they could win. The advantage in assaults is mighty tempting. Jay thought the proper Russian plan was to go on the defensive. If they follow that, they are fighting for a tie. To win they need to storm the rugged hilltop and keep the three objectives they start with. Now that I’ve played the Ottomans, I have notions of how to run a big crappy army. For starters, I need to avoid masking my artillery like I did this time. Only two turns in charge and I managed that.

 

The game was a hoot, thanks to all who played. I hope to get another game going in August. That one will be of the American Revolution, since we have the 250^th anniversary. No taxation without Representation. Which is what is on the Washington DC license plates since those worthies don’t get any representatives in Congress. The smoke from the Canadian fires has drifted elsewhere and the sky is almost blue, instead of grey or orange. Perhaps I shall go for a walk.

The World Cup

I am not much of a sports fan, except when the World Cup is on, both men’s and women’s. This year the US team has been putting on an amazing performance, especially when measured against many of their previous efforts, including some where they couldn’t even qualify to show up. It has been amazing enough to get me to post about a non-military history, non-gaming event.

 

The US team dispatched Paraguay 4-1, after having their prime striker removed at half-time due to an injury from being kicked. You may say that Paraguay isn’t that much of an opponent. (Edit: they later beat Germany.) In previous cups, the US team has had trouble from so-called lesser opponents. And this time, some power house teams have stumbled against lesser foes. The US team scored more goals in this game than in all the combined games of some of their other tournaments.

 

Still without the main striker, they dispatched Australia 2-0. We don’t need no stinking star striker. (apologies to Pulisic) Having won the top place in their group, tonight they meet Turkiye, which is already eliminated and playing for respect alone. Then on to the knock-out round.

 

This has been the best run I’ve ever seen, not having been around in 1930 when they came in 3^rd. I have read that this rivals the 2002 run. I usually  keep tabs on the cup, so wondered why this wasn’t ringing a bell. My wife suggested it was the summer after 9/11, when the city was still screwed up and most everyone still traumatized. That’s what it takes to get my mind off the World Cup.

 

My artist wife worked in the south WTC tower. On the evening shift since she prefers to paint in sunlight, she missed both the 1993 truck bomb attack and the disaster of 9/11. Every New Yorker I know goes into a driven state when talking about that day and what they saw or experienced, myself included. This post is just a smidgen.

 

The fire at the site went on for months, with hoses trained on the site day in, day out. I went upstate on some errand since forgotten, months after the attack. Stopping at a large roadside restaurant, the TV broadcast pictures of the firemen still at work. Patrons seemed tired of it, ready to move on, wondering why the media was still fixated on it. It has occurred to me recently that the reason the media was still fixated was because they live in the city too and were just as traumatized as everyone else.  

 

OK, trip to downer lane over for today. Since 10 pm is my usual bedtime these days, perhaps I need a nap so I can watch the US team vs Turkiye tonight. The game starts at 10 pm local time. Go get 'em, guys!

Edit: The Turks got their respect, on an absolutely last minute goal, 3-2. Oh well, next the US takes on Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Edit 2: The lads bested Bosnia-H, even after having star player Balogun ejected with a controversial red card, playing 20 minutes down a man. That's as many games as the 2002 team won. Unfortunately they now have to face Belgium while Balogun isn't even allowed in the locker room or on the bench. He can only sit in the stands. Bummer.  Not mentioned in the press is the infantile tantrum thrown by the B-H coach, who was given a yellow card. The tantrum was also rewarded by a US goal, courtesy of Tillman's superb free kick. Looked like something Beckham would do in his prime.

A further explanation of why I'm a soccer fan (don't really need one): I played on a middle school team back in the day. Skill wasn't required. It was a small school; being a boy willing to play sufficed, a good thing since my skills were rudimentary. Later, in high school I was on the debate team. Note my excellent jaw muscles.

A video in the NY Times online explained further why I don't recall the glorious run of 2002: not only was I still disrupted by 9/11, but the games in Korea were aired in the wee hours of the morning, ensuring I didn't see them, needing to go to work the next day. Reading about games in the paper the next day doesn't stay in the mind like watching them as they happen.  

Edit 3: Balogun's red card penalty was suspended. I've seen an online AI video depicting him waving a Trump card in the ref's face. I can only say Balogun has displayed grace and tact sadly lacking a lot further up the pecking order. Too bad he is being blamed for any of this. That said, I'm glad he's back in the lineup and look forward to seeing him in action tonight.

Edit 4: What a rout. Tillman shows he can score from a free kick, again. Otherwise, we were completely outclassed and shown the door. Ouch. Back to regularly scheduled posting.

Edit 5: While I wasn't rooting for France, I expected them to win the cup. Totally surprised to see them out. The old lesson: don't make obvious fouls in the penalty box. Spain would have won anyway, but 2-0 is more emphatic than 1-0. Now for Messi vs. Kane and Bellingham. 

Petty afterthought; I was happy Belgium lost to Spain, after they used us as a doormat.

Edit 6: (this is the zombie post, refuses to stop moving) England goes down to defeat, no controversial hand ball or red card, just soccer. My best man Ken, an England fan, said the better team won. Now to see of Messi and Co. can stop Spain.

Edit 6.5: Sports pundits are saying Tuchel, the England coach, lost the match. After going up 1-0, he "parked the bus" (put the team on a strict defense). During the rest of the game his team made two attempts on the Argentine goal, while the Argentines hovered around the English goal, taking numerous shots. Allowing Messi to lurk around the penalty box was a bad idea. Although he didn't score either goal, he fed the ball to both of those scoring. Every time he dribbled at the edge of the penalty box, two or three defenders would mark him, opening up space for others. I noted the English going on the defensive at the time. It didn't occur to me that it was a choice. This had worked for them against Mexico. Not this time.

Edit 7: Well, that was fun! More sophisticated fans may poo-poo the France England match for 3rd place, but dang it was a gas. Bellingham's goal was amazing.

Edit 8: The final was nerve-wracking. The Spanish consistently out-played the Argentines, but couldn’t get the ball into the net. The Argentine goalie is incredible, save after save after save. The Spanish goalie had to do some work, but his penalty box was clear most of the game, where the Spanish were constantly attacking. An Argentine got a deserved red card near the end of regulation time having recently gotten a yellow card. He should have dialed it back a little. The game was quite rough. They went into overtime scoreless. I was worried the Spanish couldn’t close the deal and it would turn into a shoot-out. They deserved to win, having been better all game. I hollered out “will no one rid me of this priest?” They must have heard me and scored a goal 106 minutes into a nominal 90-minute game. The Argentines made desperate attempts to even the score but failed. Twice other Spanish goals were not allowed. One was offside – clearly. The other involved a Spanish player accidentally stomping the goalie’s foot, a foul that nullified the goal scored by another player. The Argentines never got a ball into the Spanish net. The better team won. The losing team had the biggest star. And a hell of a goalie.

Absolutely final edit: Spain took 20 shots, not scoring until the last. 12 were on target, most saved by that goalie (goal keeper for purists). Argentina had 2 shots, all after the Spanish goal, not on target. Spain tamped down Messi by the simple expedient of keeping possession of the ball most of the time and rarely letting him touch it. Ole! 

The British Cemetery on Ocracoke Island

For many years I have vacationed at the National Seashore park on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. These thin barrier islands of sand are over the horizon from the mainland. The northward-bound Gulf Stream and the southward-bound Labrador Current meet off the ocean coast. The resulting clash makes for turbulent water, reputedly the best surfing on the East coast of the US.

 

The next island south from my usual abode is Ocracoke, reached by ferry. Here is where Blackbeard met his demise at the hands of Royal Navy Lt. Maynard in 1718. It also has a British Cemetery that dates back to 1942.

 

In 1942 the US Navy was unprepared for the coming U-boat onslaught, code-named Operation Drumbeat. US Admiral King was focused on the Japanese erupting across the Pacific. Ships were being sunk within sight of the East coast shore. The Royal Navy decided to send some aid. One was the armed Trawler HMT Bedfordshire. Originally a civilian trawler, it had been armed with a 4-inch gun, machine guns, depth charges and crewed with British and Canadian sailors. Operating out of Morehead City, North Carolina, it patrolled the Outer Banks. 

Bedfordshire model at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum,

Hatteras Village, Hatteras Island, NC

On May 11, 1942, it was torpedoed by U-558. A large explosion broke the trawler in two. It sank rapidly with all hands, save some who had missed sailing, having been detained by Morehead City police after a bar crawl.

Plaque accompanying model  

Days later two bodies drifted ashore in Ocracoke. They were identified as Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Cunningham and Ordinary Telegraphist Stanley Craig of the Bedfordshire. Another two unidentified crewmen also washed ashore later. Locals donated ground for burial and the 4 were interred there. The US Coast Guard maintains the cemetery, raising and lowering a Union Jack daily. 

Plaque at the British cemetery on Ocracoke Island
 

In time another unidentified crewman drifted ashore on the next island north, Hatteras. Along with another victim of a British merchant sunk by U-boat, he was buried in another British cemetery on that island, also maintained by the US Coast Guard. I visited that graveyard years ago. It is in Buxton Woods and sports an impressive escort of mosquitoes. I have not returned. I assume the daily flag ritual requires a lot of bug repellant.

 

On July 20, 1943 the U-558 was attacked by bombers in the Bay of Biscay. The first US bomber was shot down, a second was damaged and driven off after crippling the U-boat. A British bomber arrived and attacked while the crew was attempting to scuttle, finishing the job, and most of the crew. The badly wounded captain survived, along with 4 others. His logbook revealed the fate of the Bedfordshire.

Since my father and maternal grandfather both sailed on Liberty ships during the war, my hat's off to any and all who served on escort vessels during the Battle of the Atlantic. 

There is a poignant monument to merchant marine sailors of WWII along the Hudson River, near the Battery. I must get over there some morning, before it becomes backlit.

Observations from Battlefield Visits

Visiting battlefields has often led to insights beyond those gleaned from reading.

Most recently, a visit to Bunker Hill (yeah, I know it was fought on Breed’s Hill) was helpful even though it is an urban area these days. The hill is steep, enough to stop all but the most fit person from running up it. Set your parking brake. The excellent small National Park Service museum revealed that during the first two assaults, the redcoats were wearing their packs, to further impede them. For the last assault, Howe had the troops drop packs. That and the dwindling rebel ammunition did the job.

More details can be found here: https://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/2025/09/bunker-hill-national-park.html

 

I had a fine visit at the Lexington-Concord Battle Road AKA Minuteman National Park. A great program was put on by volunteers in period dress, and a park ranger led us to the Bloody Angle, where recent archaeology has revealed where most of the fighting there happened. Not at the actual angle as you might suppose.

More detail here: https://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/2025/09/minute-man-national-park-and-bloody.html

 

A trip to Omaha Beach in 2019 was enlightening. I was at the American right flank and got to see the devilish defenses at the draw leading up from the beach. A camouflaged concrete 88 pillbox enfilading the beach, covered by two concrete machine gun pillboxes further uphill revealed just what a killing ground it was. The buildings in the draw were all fortified. The landing was intended to take the draw. In the end, the more formidable looking cliffs were scaled and the draw was flanked. Looking at it from the ground made it all that much clearer. The “easier” ground was too well defended. We also went to Point Du Hoc. The Rangers didn’t suffer that much getting up the cliffs. Germans had to look over the edge, exposing themselves to fire from below and from supporting Navy ships. But the Rangers were cut off from the rest of the invasion force for a couple days and faced unrelenting attempts to retake the position. That’s when heavy losses were taken. I've forgotten the name of the British guide I used but he was excellent.

 

A visit to Champion Hill was another fine outing. This is privately owned. I employed Sid Champion V to guide me across his family’s field. He has a dry sense of humor. The rugged nature of the Mississippi countryside is informative. The position Hovey chose for his artillery was inspired. The north side of Champion Hill where Bowen’s counterattack came down looks like a shooting gallery from the gun line. Not a shred of cover from the 16 pieces at a few hundred yards. The choice of ground for the final Confederate rearguard action is also clear, a slight rise and a good field of fire.

 

Not much of Fort Fisher remains but enough of the extreme left flank fortifications lets you imagine the works stretching east and then south above the beach. A restaurant in town featured Colonel Lamb’s pecan pie, saying the Yankees got the colonel but not his pie. Perhaps the price per slice put them off.

 

Chattanooga was informative and beautiful. The usual tales of guns not being able to cover the ground sufficiently seemed poor. A closer look revealing inept tactical decisions by the defending generals was more satisfying.

Details are here: https://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/2023/09/myths-of-lookout-mountain-and.html

 

Chickamauga didn’t reveal that much to me, being wooded and jumbled. One can see how confused the battle was. Very pretty and worth the detour.

 

Shiloh revealed that the sunken road at the Hornet’s Nest wasn’t so sunken, not much cover at all. I suspect it had two things to recommend it as a place to make a stand. One, a clear field of fire across Duncan and Review fields, fairly rare at Shiloh. Since it was where the troops had practiced drill, everyone knew well how to get there, making it a logical place to muster troops. Perhaps allow your little tin guys to get there without problems, or move faster towards it if you don't have movement rolls?

 

Stones River has some rough terrain indeed in the woods, and the Union left flank has another fine artillery position where Mendenhall massed his guns to abort Breckinridge’s breakthrough.

 

Franklin is a pretty town in the process of expanding public access to parts of the battlefield. The many bullet holes in the Carter House show the tendency to fire high. I suspect the battlefield has gotten better access in the decade plus since I was there.

 

Antietam’s Bloody Lane was a revelation. The sunken road is shallow. Troops in it had to crouch down on all fours to get cover, an uncomfortable position to hold for a while. It is too shallow to give cover to kneeling troops, and too deep for prone troops to use it well. It is also in low ground. Union attacks came over a rise within easy musket range. As each was bloodily repulsed, they recoiled over the rise and some fired back using the crest as partial cover. DH Hill’s Confederate division, minus some elements sent north to the left flank, held that position against repeated assaults. Anderson’s division was sent in to reinforce them and the defense fell apart. Why? Standing on the Union rise made the answer apparent. The Union troops, after trading fire with enemy in cover,  suddenly had targets in the open. They could fall back a little and be invisible to the enemy in the sunken road. Using the crest as partial cover, they could blast away at Anderson’s troops descending the opposite rise and get some measure of revenge. Anderson went down wounded, leaving his inept senior brigadier Pryor in charge. Many of his troops never got into the road. Those that did ran in under heavy fire, disorganizing those already there. Soon a blunder left their right open. It was exploited on the spot, causing heavy losses and the collapse of the Confederate center. I haven’t read of how the terrain affected this before, but seeing it was obvious. Fresh troops would have ended the career of RE Lee and his army, but of course McClellan didn’t send any.

I can’t recall wargame rules that allow a reinforcement to disorganize the troops being reinforced, though that happened in spades at the Mule Shoe during Spotsylvania. Well, we can’t have everything.

 

Gettysburg, so much to say. One thing I recall: the place where Chamberlain bent his line back is on a rock outcrop, just steep enough to make a rush at that point difficult, especially with armed folks on top waiting. There are more things. Been there twice and need to go again, since my last visit was in the early 90s.

 

Bull run had one major revelation. As defeated Confederates retreated to Henry House Hill, their attached artillery coalesced around Jackson’s waiting brigade. Most brigades had an attached artillery battery at this time of 4 or 6 guns. Between his own guns and those rallied to him, Jackson had 13 guns, all represented on the field. It goes some way to explaining the tough stand Jackson made. Stonewall had two to three times the artillery of a normal brigade.

 

I’ve probably overlooked some things. I don’t recall Saratoga or Stoney Point revealing things but they were both in pretty places. Stoney Point is along the Hudson and has picnic tables. Must have a picnic  there sometime when the weather permits.