#I was born at Fort Bragg

[thetrickstersdaughter]

Hermes came to visit my mom in the hospital the cold winter day I was born. I was all of 8 hours old, and my extended family had left as the hospital was transitioning over to night shift. She told me she could feel his presence in the room as she blinked open her eyes and rolled over slowly as to not jostle her sore body. The young man with the mischievous eyes and salt and pepper hair gave my mother a soft smile; she swore he had a few tears in his eyes, my head of blonde curls tucked into the bend of his elbow.

“We made a beautiful daughter, Jolie. Beautiful, just like her mother.”

She returned his smile, “Maybe, but she’s got that sparkle in her eyes, the same one you get when you’re up to somethin’. That’s all from you, Trouble.”

Hermes smirked at the use of his pet name, “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” His fingers traced the line of my brow and gently brushed my curls, “What did you decide to name her?”

“Rebekah. She’s my little Becky Faye.”

“Becky Faye, just like Jolie Faye: a woman after my own heart.” Hermes sat down on the side of the bed, pausing for a moment as his mood became more serious. “She’s going to have many trials in her life, Jolie. Such is the curse of being a demigod. She’s going to have to grow up to be a fighter, a survivor….”

“She came into this world in only a few hours, kickin’ and screamin’, my darlin’. She’s already got the spirit of a warrior…”

“But of course, because she is the child of a great warrior, born on a base where many great warriors train.” My father kissed my mother on the lips and me on the forehead, then laid me on her chest. “When the time comes, there is a place on Long Island, a camp where she will be safe and can train to take on the dangers in our world. Before then, I will be watching over you both but you cannot let her know about my world until she is ready.”

My mother nodded in understanding and snuggled me closer to her. With one final squeeze of my mother’s hand, my father disappeared in a gust of wind, leaving behind a pair of gold and white winged track shoes. A note attached read, ‘These will grow with her. I love you both, stay safe’.

[bradshawssugarbaby]

Under The Stars and Stripes - One (Capt. Syverson x OFC)

a/n: look at your girl coming up with two multiparters at once!!! i wanted to write something sweet for capt. syverson (who moving forward, i have named luke, fyi), and my partner sort of suggested this (i mean, kinda, he thought it was what i was writing - turns out he was wrong but gave me a v good idea).

pairing: Capt. Syverson x Joanna Blake (OFC)

warnings/content: injuries, medical discussions, age gap (38 + 26), mentions of military service, inaccurate descriptions of physical therapy + military life.

word count: 1.9k

The unforgiving glare of the overhead lights in the medical center cast a harsh radiance over the waiting room. Luke's cerulean blue eyes squinted against the artificial glow in the room, his gaze wandering in search of anything remotely captivating. Opposite him, an infographic poster touted the virtues of physical activity and mental health, a message that seemed incongruous with the knee brace he begrudgingly wore. The irony of contemplating jogging or hitting the gym while nursing a wounded knee did not escape him.

"Luke Syverson?"

He swiveled his head in response to the melodic call of his name. In the doorway stood a woman, her blonde hair secured with a claw clip, a clipboard balanced gracefully in her hand. A warm, friendly smile adorned her heart-shaped face. With a half-hearted wave, Luke acknowledged her.

"Present and accounted for, ma'am."

Internally, he winced at the self-consciousness his response provoked. Rising to his feet, Luke attempted to distribute his weight favorably, minimizing the strain on his compromised leg. A sharp pang shot through his knee, confined by the rigid embrace of the brace. Collecting his crutches, he navigated his way toward the young woman, focusing on maintaining a semblance of grace. The crutches, tools of mobility he had resisted vehemently at home, now betrayed his struggle.

As he drew closer, Luke observed that she was notably younger than he, the realization of his own impending forties sinking in. Her olive-green eyes sparkled, framed by honey-colored strands that cascaded like molten gold. A sun-kissed radiance illuminated her complexion as she beamed at him.

"I'm Joanna. I'll be your physiotherapist moving forward. Let's head to the exam room; we can go over the paperwork together."

Her voice possessed a cheerfulness that could rival a weather reporter or red carpet interviewer. Luke nodded in understanding, trailing behind her as they entered the room. The once sterile lighting had mellowed, casting a more agreeable ambiance.

The examination room emanated professionalism, each piece of equipment meticulously arranged, and charts displayed with precision. Joanna gestured toward the examination table, indicating for Luke to take a seat. Settling into a chair nearby, she balanced the clipboard on her lap.

"Alright, Captain Syverson, let's delve into the paperwork and gain a betterunderstanding of your situation, ok?" Joanna initiated, her focus shifting to the documents before her.��

“Let’s start with the basics, full name and date of birth?”

“Right,” Luke began, “"Full name's Luke Everett Syverson, ma'am. Ain't much use for the middle one, but it's there. I was born April 15, 1968, ma'am, interrupted my ma’s Easter dinner. Home base is Fort Bragg, North Carolina, hence why I’m here in Durham. Otherwise woulda’ probably gone to the centre in Tennessee, closer to where I’m from and all..” 

“You know, I never use my middle name much either, but, just in case there’s two Luke Syversons in the armed forces, gotta include it to make sure I’ve got the right one.,” Joanna nodded her head, humming as she jotted down her notes.

The room embraced a quiet tension as Luke settled onto the examination table, his eyes following Joanna's movements with a mix of curiosity and wariness. The dimmed lighting cast a softer glow, alleviating the clinical starkness of the surroundings. Joanna, her gaze focused on the paperwork, began with a series of routine questions about the nature of Luke's injury.

"So, Luke," she started, her tone gentle yet professional, "tell me about when the injury occurred, and how has the journey been since then?"

Luke took a moment, his gaze drifting to a framed landscape photo on the wall. The distant mountains seemed to echo the weight of his thoughts. "Iraq. Torn ACL," he said, sparing the details but acknowledging the source of his struggle. "Routine patrol, turned into anything but routine."

Joanna nodded, recognizing the understated weight in his words. "I see. That's a significant injury. And you had surgery to correct it?"

Luke shifted his weight uncomfortably on the exam table, nodding his head. “Sure did, m’am, three days ago. Still hurts somethin’ fierce, but I guess that’s what I’m here for.”

He sighed, his focus on the knee brace that had become both a literal and symbolic constraint. 

“To be completely honest with ya, m’am, I just wanna get back on my feet so I can figure out what to do with my life now, you know?”

She nodded, understanding the complex emotions wrapped around his military service and the path to recovery. "Recovery and returning to civilian life is a process, Luke. We'll take it one step at a time. Do you have any idea what you’d like to end up doing in future?”

“I haven’t really thought about it. Never went to college, so a lot of stuff’s off the table now. Plus, I’m getting old. Not sure where that leaves me either. Thought about maybe becoming a police officer or an EMT, you know? I wanted to do that when I was a kid, but then joined the military on my 18th birthday instead.”

Joanna smiled warmly as she made a couple of notes on her paperwork, before continuing to further establish the details of Luke's history, the conversation shifting to one about his daily struggles and the impact the knee surgery had on his life. With each exchange, a bridge of understanding formed between them, an unspoken alliance forged in the pursuit of healing.

In those moments, Joanna glimpsed the man behind the military façade. Luke rarely dwelled on his time overseas, focusing instead on the immediate goal: shedding the brace and moving forward. The physical therapy sessions ahead were not merely about mending a knee; they were about reclaiming a life after two decades of military service.

As the examination progressed, Joanna outlined a personalized rehabilitation plan, detailing exercises and strategies to rebuild strength and mobility. The room, once filled with tension, now held a promise of progress and recovery.

"Alright, Luke," Joanna said, concluding their discussion, "we something to start with at least. Let's work together to get you back on your feet."

With the paperwork completed, the clipboard now resting on the desk, Joanna moved seamlessly into the practical aspect of Luke's rehabilitation. She began guiding him through a series of light exercises designed to gradually rebuild some of the strength in his knee that he’d lost. The atmosphere in the room shifted from contemplative to purposeful as Joanna demonstrated each movement with precision, her instructions clear and encouraging. 

Luke, though initially reserved, found himself following her lead, a quiet determination in his eyes. As they progressed through the exercises, Joanna observed the subtle signs of discomfort and adjusted the routine accordingly, ensuring that the session struck the delicate balance between challenge and progress. The room resonated with the rhythmic hum of therapeutic effort, a shared endeavor toward a future where the weight of the brace would be a distant memory. As the session neared its end, Joanna offered a reassuring smile.

"Great work today, Luke. We'll take it step by step, and before you know it, you'll be moving freely again."

“Thanks m’am, I appreciate it,” Luke replied, a soft smile forming on his lips.

“It’s what I’m here for,” Joanna nodded as she held the door open for him in an effort to make it easier to exit as he hopped on his crutches, “And Luke? I wanna hear that you’ve been using the crutches at home as well, or you’ll just injure your knee further.”

“Yes, m’am,” He chuckled, shaking his head as he made his way out of the clinic.

Later that night, Luke settled into the worn-out couch in his living room, the dim light casting a soft glow across the room. He dialed his younger brother Travis’ number, the anticipation of sharing his day evident in the subtle smile that played on his lips.

After a couple of rings, Travis’ voice came through the phone, lively and teasing.

“Well, well, if it ain't the elusive older brother himself. What's new, Luke?"

"Not much, just had my first therapy session today,” Luke chuckled softly as he took a bite out of his slice of pizza. 

"Therapy? Never thought I'd see the day, Luke. What's the world coming to?"

"It's for the knee, not my sanity, Travis."

"Alright, alright. So, how'd it go, Captain?"

"Surprisingly good, actually. The therapist, Joanna, she's something else. Got me doing all these exercises. Says I'll be back to hiking those Arkansas woods in no time."

“Joanna, huh? Luke, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you have a little bit of a thing for her. Florence Nightingale effect?"

"You watch too many movies, and besides, idiot, that’s when the therapist falls for the patient. Ain’t gonna happen. She's just good at her job, makes me feel less uncomfortable, I s’pose."

"Sure, sure. So, what's the verdict? She cute? Should I tell the kids they’ve got a new aunt?"

"You'll be waiting a long time for that. But seriously, it felt good, productive. And, she asked me about what I wanna do now. Got me thinkin’ about my options."

"Really? Did she smell the smoke? Set off a fire alarm?"

“Funny. I’m thinkin’ maybe becoming an EMT, you know? Can still help people, use my military training, just…stayin’ stateside and less sand.”

“You did always have a thing for helping people, I’ll give you that. Now, about Joanna…”

“Travis, forget it.”

“I’m just saying, Ma’s 60th birthday is coming up, and you know you’re in for a grillin’ about when you’re giving her grandbabies.”

“She has two already,” Luke protested, laughing as he took another slice from the box of pizza, “Besides,” he said with his mouthful, “I don’t know if I even want kids at this point. I’d be dead by the time they had kids”

“Well, if they take after you, maybe. I had kids at a reasonable age.”

“I s’pose, how are they anyway? Bet ya Hannah’s grown like a bad weed since I saw her last, and Maddie? She was knee-high to a grasshopper last time I saw her.”

“They’re good. Maddie’s almost 5 now, gettin’ quite feisty, like her mama, and Hannah’s taken up cheerleadin’, now I gotta become well-versed in making perfect pigtails in her hair if her mother’s busy with the little one.”

“Better you than me, Trav. Don’t think I could figure out how to do those tiny lil elastics.”

As Luke engaged in a heartfelt conversation with his brother, the echoes of family life stirred a contemplation of his own future. The tales of parenthood shared by his brother left a lingering thought.

 Did he, despite his usual reserved nature, harbour a desire for a family of his own? 

Love and romance had often found him awkward and uncertain, but when it came to showering affection on his nieces, those barriers melted away effortlessly. His musings naturally gravitated towards Joanna, her radiant smile replaying in his mind, illuminating the corners of his apartment like a beacon. 

The playful teasing from Travis planted an idea in his mind, one he never expected to be considering, which prompted Luke to consider whether there might be something extraordinary about his connection with Joanna.

Setting the cordless phone down on the table beside the couch, he sighed heavily, the weight of his newfound solitude settling in as he savored a third slice of pizza. His eyes roamed around the room, the empty expanse of his apartment feeling almost suffocating. The hush of the house, disrupted only by the dull roar of football highlights on the TV, intensified the solitude. In that moment, amidst the quietude, the prospect of companionship and a shared future became a lingering ember in Luke's thoughts.

[into-wonderland-caroline]

You said you were in NC at one time. I assume it was when uoir parents were stationed here. (I am in NC) I'm just curious which base(s) they were stationed. I too am from a military family and I too have serious medical conditions. Mine is from my mother getting pregnant, carrying me full term, and living aboard base for 2 years after being born. However, mine is related to the contaminated water aboard base with dry cleaning chemicals, jet fuel, used motor oil, and radioactive waste in barrels from a nondisclosed nuclear reactor, all of which were being dumped into the drinking water source for 30+ years. If your problems are related you can be compensated. If you mom ever spent at least 30 days while pregnant or about to become pregnant, or if you did at Camp Lejeune you need to act fast. They are closing the books on people able to make a claim in August. With, all that you listed, it sounds like its highly likely to me. There are a number of firms you can call about compensation if you look up anything about Camp Lejeune Water. Hope it helps you.

I have heard of the lawsuits due to contaminated water at camp Lejeune... it's awful so many have ended up with major health issues from it! My parents were stationed at Fort Liberty (previously Fort Bragg) we lived in Fayetteville off base. I was very young when we came to NC maybe 2 years old but my mother was not pregnant when we were there. I hope you are doing well despite the health problems.

[grimgrinningghost456]

15 Questions 15 Mutuals

Thanks! Tagged by the one and only, @argyleheir thanks for the shout out

1. Are you named after anyone? My middle name comes from my great Aunt and uncle’s last name. So I can carry on their name since they’ve passed away. Although the men in my family tend to have Jrs/Seniors.

2. When was the last time you cried? ….maybe when watching Way of Water??? I dont know

3. Do you have kids? Nope, and I’m single. Eventually I will. (In like 10+ years)

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Nah. Yes.yes I do

5. What sports do you play/have played? I was a marching band human. I run too

6. What’s the first thing you notice about people? Style and how people generally carry themselves

7. What’s your eye color? Blue

8. Scary movies or happy endings? Scary movies!

9. Any special talents? None that come to mind, but I’m sure I have some special talent.

10. Where were you born? Fort Bragg North Carolina, US. I’m an Army brat

11. What are your hobbies? baking, face painting, drawing, and reading.

12. Do you have pets? I have 2 year old puppy.

13. How tall are you? 5'3”

14. Favorite subject in school? History and Psychology

15. Dream job? I want to own a Bakery and tea shoppe. Maybe sell antiques too. It’d probably have the same name as my blog

@armybratz123 and @bendy-n-stuff , @arsenic-aquarium , you three have been chosen

[aylinxyilmazx]

[ demet ozdemir, female, she/her ] - was that AYLIN YILMAZ i saw by the lighthouse today? i heard that the THIRTY ONE year old who has been in nightrest for ON AND OFF HER ENTIRE LIFE and works  as an OWNER OF TWO DOGS VETERINARY has a reputation of being COMPASSIONATE, but also BLUNT. they reside in LOW POINT & people in town usually associate them with THE SMELL OF FRESH CUT LILACS,  LONG WAVY CHOCOLATE BROWN HAIR AND ALMOST ALWAYS AROUND ANIMALS  . let’s hope the killer doesn’t go after them next

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒 …

                  𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄:  aylin yilmaz                   𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄(𝐒):  ali ( friends and family only )                   𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄(𝐒):  aylin                   𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄:  april 16th, 1992                   𝐀𝐆𝐄:  31 years old                   𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑:  female                   𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐒:  she/her                   𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍:  heteromantic                   𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍:  heterosexual                   𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍:  none

𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘…

born april 16, 1992, aylins life from the time she was born was never going to be a normal one. with her dad in the army, it was to be assumed that she would never be in one place for long. at the time of her birth, her father had been deployed, with him not returning home until she was one year old.  by the time he did come home, the family had gotten orders to relocate to fort bragg. following the orders, the family moved down to fort bragg. for the first few years of her life, the family lived there. though when aylins mother got the call that her great grandmother had fallen ill, aylin, her mother and siblings moved back to nightrest while her father stayed at fort bragg.

on the weekends, her father did visit. growing up, she had come used to that. to her father not being around as much.  a year after moving back to nightrest, her great grandmother had passed away.  though she was young at the time, she knew how much her great grandmother had missed her great grandfather who had passed away a few years earlier. to her, it was clear she had passed on due to a broken heart. but she didn't voice that she believed that. instead, she let the adults believe what ever they had said. after her death, aylins mother kept them in nightrest. it was a talk her mother had with her father. and keeping them there was the best decision over all. it meant not moving as often. though despite that, aylin made sure to split her time between fort bragg and nightrest.

during the holidays, and summer vacation, she would spend it with her father on base. as she would spend her time there during breaks and the summer, she did end up making friends there too. it was during this time that aylin took a liking to animals. and helping them too. the summer before her senior year of high school. she found a stray puppy that she eventually took in. naming her kiara, she helped nurse her new puppy back to help with the guidance of the local vet near fort bragg.  returning home towards the end of summer, her mother was surprised with the fact that she had a dog. but in no time came to love her just as much.

following graduation, and spending the summer there, she packed her bags and headed off to cornell university in new york. for four years, she studied there before applying to the veterinary school of medicine there. getting accepted, she spent four more years there. during her years it veterinarian school. aside from going for surgery, she took up two specialties which was a rare thing. aquatic animal medicine and feline medicine. the summer before her final year, she spent it in Northern Tanzania at the Serengeti National Park there. it was there that she helped nurse back to health a lioness and her cubs. in the process, forming a bond with the mother lioness.  to say it hurt when she had to leave was an understatement. returning to new york, she finished her final year of school before graduating.

returning home, she moved back in with her mom before getting a job at the veterinarian clinic. it was also around this time that she learned her dad had changed to the massachusetts national guard. which meant he would be home more often.  two years after getting her job, the keys to the place were given to her, followed by the ownership of it. which surprised her. owning the place was a shock. never did she think she would become the owner of the place. but she had. and she would take it with pride.

flash forward to now,  from time to time, she does tend to go travel. mainly to africa to the same wildlife conservation she went to years ago. though now with the recent killings, leaving home has been put on hold. how could she even leave her family when all hell was starting to break loose?

OTHER FACTS…

     - she tends to like animals more mainly because a.) they don't talk back and b.) they don't start any drama with anyone.

-she's been in a few relationships over the years. one of them ended pretty bad while the others ended on a good note.

- after a few months of living with her parents, she eventually ended up getting her own place in low point. she has considered moving though but is picky on what kind of house she wants.

WANTED CONNECTIONS…  

     her person: a childhood friend of hers, this person knows her in and out. they’re also joined by the hip as well. and when all hell breaks loose, these two are always by each others side to help the other get through it. ( can be male or female)

           childhood friends: a group of friends she’s known since she was a kid. ones who will almost always get together once a week.

- first love/high school sweet heart: this was her first everything and the only guy she really ever loved. they broke up  whether they stayed in touch afterwards is up to the person who takes this up. and whether they're still close as well. they could still have feelings for each other too.

[dankusner]

Cris Kusner

Professor Hyslop

PCON 111

20 February 2018

John C. Turner: Civil War Heavy Artillery Officer

John C. Turner, the grandfather of my own grandmother, was an enlisted member of Company K of the Minnesota First Regiment of Heavy Artillery during the American Civil War. His wartime story has been passed down through each generation of my family, and his personal transcribed 1865 diary includes detailed documentation of every aspect of his one-year life in the army. The Minnesota First Regiment was an important support network for Union-controlled forts over the course of the last two years of the war (1863-1865), centered especially within the Western Theater. In January of 1865, the regiment had begun its recruitment by printing handbills that read:

“Volunteers for Heavy Artillery, 150 Recruits Wanted for Co. K , 1st Reg. Minn. Heavy Art. The undersigned is now ready to muster in all volunteers offering for this popular arm of the Service. Transportation to Fort Snelling will be furnished to recruits as fast as mustered in. Now is the time to secure a place in this Reg. and avoid the draft. All drafted men will be assigned to the old organizations. This regiment is only for One year’s Service-Government pays $100 bounty. Volunteers can be credited to any town they choose, the men must be raised in the next twenty days, or the Draft will take them, Come on then and Volunteer (Monday, January 16th, 1865).”

Turner, born in 1834, was a small store owner in the town of Faribault, MN and he, like many of his fellow enlisted men, were in their late twenties during the Civil War: perfect candidates for the war’s draft. The appeal to receive $100 to volunteer and serve rather than be subject to compulsory recruitment without much incentive was an obvious choice. Company K had quickly reached its desired population of one hundred forty strong, farm-raised men, and began its trek from Fort Snelling, MN down to Chattanooga, Tennessee to take control over the existing forts and provide additional ammunition for heavy artillery (mostly cannons). Prior to the regiment’s arrival to the established forts, however, was an important victory for the Union. Only months earlier, in 1863, the Chattanooga Campaign took place during which Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman launched a surprise attack to gain key high ground surrounding Chattanooga from Confederate General Braxton Bragg (Woodworth, 2012). This victory pushed Confederate forces south and ultimately allowed for Sherman’s notorious March to the Sea, an infamous implementation of psychological warfare in which 67,000 soldiers marched from Atlanta, GA and into the Carolinas, terrorizing civilians and living off the southern farmland (Cox, 1994). 

Company K’s arrival a year later proved to fortify Union defenses in the case of a potential northward Confederate invasion. Turner’s diary describes the hardships of being stationed in Chattanooga, with forced food rations and constant anxiety of having to see real warfare: “Captain went to making out requisitions, for arms ammunition and uniform jackets, and other things preparatory to marching order for we are anxious to get out of this place as soon as possible, as it is a very poor place for the men, I think if this is soldering I have a poor taste for it (Tuesday, March 7th, 1865).” The regiment provided a variety of services during its journey southward, ranging from ditch-digging and burying dead soldiers to capturing loose rebel army men. However, some of the most interesting aspects of Turner’s story are the recounts of his downtime in the evenings. In Chattanooga, groups of former slaves and current African American Union soldiers had performed for the regiment, providing “good violin music and good dancing” while enlisted men sat around campfires drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco through their pipes (Thursday, June 8th, 1865). This insight provides a unique perspective on war, one in which soldiers are thought of as more human than as killing machines, that soldiers, just like civilians, perform their day’s tasks and subsequently wind down in the evening with substances and entertainment to remove themselves with slight bliss. Because so many army men experience incredible trauma during war (even from solely seeing dead bodies on the battlefield), it is only rational to think that at the end of each day, an altered state of mind and body are reached in order to cope. Even further so, it is incredibly intriguing to see how the absorption of African Americans into the army was categorically accepted (by the Union) and even appreciated. Because of the nature of the Civil War (which was fought primarily over the question of slavery in the United States), it is only fitting for soldiers to not only fight for the cause, but at the same rate take the time to experience African Americans (Minnesota at the time most likely didn’t have a prominent African American population) as the United States’ culture begins to shift towards the end of the war. In fact, Minnesota was one of the very first states to recruit African Americans: “at the outbreak of war in 1861, Minnesota with a population of about 180,000 was the newest state in the union and the first to volunteer troops in its defense. The 24,000 Minnesota soldiers (including 100 free black men, scores of American Indians, and at least one woman) often found themselves on the frontlines or the last to leave the field in many battles and campaigns of the war, from the Dakota Territory, south along the Mississippi River, to the deep south and east all the way to Washington D.C. (Minnesota Board, 1890).” With an overwhelmingly motivated population, Minnesota served as a pivotal state in both the formation of the Union Army and through the course of the four-year war, as it recruited volunteers of all backgrounds and motives. Furthermore, Dred Scott, a former slave, was even held at Fort Snelling (where Turner was based), and the Supreme Court’s initial decision to not grant Scott freedom (though he resided in a free state) sparked controversy across the United States, and scholars even say that this decision might have contributed to the initialization of the Civil War (Alexander, 2007).

The family story of my great-great-grandfather is one that I would have never thought to have such an abundance of connections and contributions to my understanding of the Civil War as a whole. The efforts of non-combat enlisted men (like heavy artillery soldiers), in my experience, seem to go unnoticed when considering both the backgrounds and results of historical wars, even though these men and women constantly form the supportive basis for the front lines of the battlefield. Being able to research the different aspects of Turner’s story has allowed me to gain a more holistic perspective on the concept of war, moving away from solely studying war’s causes and effects to discovering the many psychological and “behind-the-scenes” features of soldier life. I, like my parents and grandparents, believe that it is important to keep the experiences of our elders alive, and will continue to pass down this story to future generations with the intention of discovering our incredibly fascinating family genealogy.

Applicable Photographs:

First Minnesota Regiment of Heavy Artillery outside Chattanooga

Credit: http://stoltzfamily.us/2017/04/28/first-minnesota-regiment-of-heavy-artillery/

Fort Snelling, MN

Civil war cannon covering the high ground over Chattanooga, TN

Works Cited

Alexander, Roberta. "Dred Scott: The Decision that Sparked a Civil War." Northern Kentucky 

Law Review, vol. 34, no. 4, 2007, pp. 643.

Cox, Jacob D. Sherman's March to the Sea: Hood's Tennessee Campaign & the Carolina 

Campaigns of 1865. Da Capo Press, New York, 1994.

Minnesota. Board of commissioners on publication of history of Minnesota in civil and Indian 

wars. Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865. , United States, 1890.

Woodworth, Steven E., and Charles D. Grear. The Chattanooga Campaign. Southern Illinois 

University Press, Carbondale, 2012.

(Please see attached documents for John C. Turner’s handwritten and transcribed diary versions)

Cited Diary Pages:

Monday, January 16th, 1865 (Recruitment Handbill)

Thursday, June 8th, 1865 (African American Entertainment)

1865 Newspaper Articles Compiled by John C. Turner to Support His Diary

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

STOOD STRONG IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE P.L.O. SINCE BEFORE ANY OF US WERE EVEN BORN -- PURE SAKEVI.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on two photos of the late, great Sakevi Yokoyama of the mighty G.I.S.M., both featured in his old zine "Punk On Wave" (P.O.W.), which shortly after would be changed to "Performance Of War."

EXTRA INFO: Sakevi attracted the attention of Japanese authorities by sending various weapon designs to the Palestinian Liberation Front, as well as numerous letters in support. Even a guy who [reportedly] used a makeshift flamethrower on a pedestrian on the Tokyo Transit for “staring” was aware of the oppression the Palestinian people faced then and still face now."

-- FORT BRAGG ZINE, c. January 2024

PIC #3: "If I fall -- take my place." – 🇵🇸 propaganda poster published by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), c. 1970. Poster translation by Palestine Poster Project.

Sources: www.picuki.com/media/3276423886664441147 & https://twitter.com/propagandopolis/status/1081173361349312512.

[oldbutnotforgotten]

What a Rush – Am I Antisemitic?

From the Real Silent Majority I am an intelligent man, 81 years old, with a bachelor’s degree in electronics. I served in the Army and received a parachutist medal and an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) while serving in the 82nd Airborne, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio. My father was born in Mississippi and my mother was born in Georgia. My great parents were…

[jackabernard]

"Don’t glorify Confederacy, Coweta"; Newnan Times-Herald; 7-13-23

Don’t glorify Confederacy, Coweta “It’s an iconic name and iconic base. We’re not going to let political correctness run amok in North Carolina. …I also look forward to, as President, restoring the name of Fort Bragg.”- Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis   My late wife was descended from Georgia Confederate soldiers (and slaveowners). My three children were all born in Georgia. My eight…

[tybttrfly]

The first love stories I ever heard were r&b songs. Like many African American children born in the early 90s with fond memories of the somber and iconic “Waiting to Exhale” Soundtrack and the cinematic masterpieces that are Michael Jackson music videos, Rhythm & Blues serves as the playlist of my childhood years. Whether my Mama was cleaning the house on the weekend, or we were riding around the mountains of Germany in my Daddy’s BMW, I couldn’t escape the longing melismas of Joe, The Isley Brother’s, Whitney Houston, Destiny’s Child, TLC, Boys II Men, & so on… In my head, Anita Baker & Toni Braxton were my aunties, lol. I know their lyrics like I know where home is. My first heartbreak was August 25th, 2001, the day Aaliyah died in that plane crash in the Bahamas. And, like millions, I watched in dismay and disappointment as the world collectively decided to dethrone the rightful King of R&B, whose name I will not mention. It’s been 31 years now since May 24th, 1992 and I’ve come a long way from my birthplace of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. On this trek we call life, I’ve taken to many a different artists and genres from Jungle Music to Heavy metal. However, when I think of “Home,” I think of the lyrics sung by Stephanie Mills. I think of Ginuwine & ponies. I think of the O’Jays. And at Christmas time, I play the Temptations’ version of “Silent Night”. I think of Rhythm & Blues. So it’s only right, to me, that my first project, a celebration of coming home & coming to self be an R&B project, and I cannot wait to share my home with you.

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 31 of 2023

Title: A Ranger Born: A Memoir of Combat and Valor From Korea to Vietnam Authors: Robert W. Black ISBN: 9780307414434 Tags: AC-47 Spooky, AH-1 Cobra, Airborne, B-52 Stratofortress, C-119 Flying Box Car, C-82 Packet, CHN China, CHN Mao Tse Tung, CHN PLA People's Liberation Army, CHN PLAGF People's Liberation Army Ground Force, CHN PVA People's Volunteer Army, CHN Yalu River, Cold War (1946-1991), French and Indian Wars, From LAPL, GBR BA British Army, GBR BA King's Shropshire Light Infantry, GBR Capt. John Smith (Explorer), GBR LCol Robert Rogers (Ranger), GBR United Kingdom, GER Berlin, GER Brandenburg Gate, GER East Berlin, GER Germany, GER West Berlin, Gliders, KOR Battle of Hill 299 Turkey Shoot (Korean War), KOR Battle of Hill 628 (Korean War), KOR Battle of Inchon (Korean War), KOR Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River (1950) (Korean War), KOR Chinese Spring Offensive / 5th Phase (1951) (Korean War), KOR DMZ Demilitarized Zone - 38th Parallel (Korean War), KOR GBR BA British Brigade (Korean War), KOR Hill 1010 (Korean War), KOR Hill 299 (Korean War), KOR Hill 628 (Korean War), KOR Korea, KOR Korean War (1950-1953), KOR Kunu-ri-Sunchon Road, KOR Line Idaho (Korean War), KOR Line Kansas (Korean War), KOR Line No Name (Korean War), KOR Operation Ripper (1951) (Korean War), KOR Pusan, KOR Pusan Perimeter (Korean War), KOR ROK 6th ID, KOR ROK Republic of Korea Army, KOR Sangczon, KOR Seoul, Kuomintang, O-1 Bird Dog, Office of Strategic Services (OSS), PRK North Korea, PRK Yalu River, Rangers, SGP Singapore, SGP Singapore - Newton Towers Hotel, SpecOps, Stalin, UN United Nations, US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US FL Florida, US FL Florida - Miami, US FL University of Miami, US FL University of Miami - ROTC, US FL University of Miami - ROTC Princess Corps, US MSTS Military Sea Transportation Service, US MSTS USNS General W. F. Hase (T-AP-146), US President Harry S. Truman, US SDS Students for a Democratic Society, US Secretary of State Dean Acheson, US USA 10th Mountain Division, US USA 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, US USA 19th Infantry Regiment, US USA 19th Infantry Regiment - I&R Platoon, US USA 21st Infantry Regiment, US USA 24th ID, US USA 2nd ID, US USA 2nd Ranger Infantry Co (Airborne) - Buffalo Rangers (Segregated), US USA 313th Infantry Regiment, US USA 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, US USA 35th Quartermaster (Pack) Co, US USA 39th Infantry Regiment, US USA 39th Infantry Regiment - G Co, US USA 39th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), US USA 39th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) - 1/39, US USA 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US USA 50th Infantry Regiment, US USA 50th Infantry Regiment - E Co (LRP), US USA 5th Regimental Combat Team, US USA 6th Medium Tank Bn, US USA 6th Medium Tank Bn - C Co, US USA 79th ID, US USA 7th Army, US USA 7th ID, US USA 82nd Airborne Division - All American, US USA 8th Army Ranger Company (Airborne) / 8213th Army Unit, US USA 8th ID, US USA 8th ID - 3rd Brigade, US USA 8th Ranger Infantry Co (Airborne), US USA 9th ID, US USA 9th ID - 2nd Brigade, US USA 9th ID - 3rd Brigade, US USA Camp Carson CO, US USA Camp Hale CO, US USA Col Arthur "Bull" Simons, US USA Fort Benning GA, US USA Fort Benning GA - Harmony Church, US USA Fort Benning GA - Ranger Training Center, US USA Fort Dix NJ, US USA Fort Gordon GA, US USA Fort Gordon GA - Civil Affairs School, US USA Forth Benning GA - Victory Pond, US USA Forth Bragg NC, US USA General Douglas MacArthur, US USA General J. Lawton Collins, US USA General James Van Fleet, US USA General John K. Singlaub, US USA General Matthew Ridgway, US USA General Walton Walker, US USA LRRP Team (Vietnam War), US USA United States Army, US USMC 1st MarDiv, US USMC United States Marine Corps, US USN SEALS, US USN United States Navy, US USN USS General W. F. Hase (AP-146), US USN USS Pueblo (AGER 2), USAID, USAID John Paul Vann, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954) (French Indochina War), VNM Ben Luc, VNM Can Duoc, VNM Can Giouc, VNM Cao Dai Religion, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM Dien Bien Phu, VNM DRV Ho Chi Minh, VNM DRV NVA General Vo Nguyen Giap, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC 265th Bn, VNM DRV VC 2nd Independent Bn, VNM DRV VC 506th Bn, VNM DRV VC COSVN Central Office for South Vietnam, VNM DRV VC K-3 Bn, VNM DRV VC Phu Loi Bn, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM DRV VM Viet Minh, VNM French Indochina War (1946-1954), VNM Gia Dinh, VNM Highway 4, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM Hoa Hao Religion, VNM IV Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Long An Province, VNM Me Ly, VNM Mekong Delta, VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971) (Vietnam War), VNM Rach Kien, VNM RVN ARVN 25th ID, VNM RVN ARVN 47th Infantry Regiment, VNM RVN ARVN 7th ID, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF 627 RF Co (Vietnam War), VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN ARVN Vietnamese Rangers - Biet Dong Quan, VNM RVN Chieu Hoi Program/Force 66 - Luc Luong 66 (Vietnam War), VNM RVN Kit Carson Scouts (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP Can Sat National Police, VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM RVN USA CRIP Combined Reconnaissance and Intelligence Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM RVN USA CRIP Long An Province (Vietnam War), VNM RVNP CSDB Can Sat Dac Biet Special Branch Police, VNM Saigon, VNM Song Vam Co Dong, VNM Tam An, VNM Tan Tru, VNM Trach An, VNM US Agent Orange (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Teams (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM USA MRF Mobile Riverine Force (Vietnam War), VNM USN MRF Mobile Riverine Force (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), Waco Glider, WW2 1st Special Service Force (1942-1944) Rating: ★★★★ (4 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Korean War.US.Rangers, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.ARVN, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.Advisor, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.SpecOps.US.Rangers

Description: Even as a boy growing up amid the green hills of rural Pennsylvania, Robert W. Black knew he was destined to become a Ranger. With their three-hundred-year history of peerless courage and independence of spirit, Rangers are a uniquely American brand of soldier, one foot in the military, one in the wilderness—and that is what fired Black’s imagination. In this searing, inspiring memoir, Black recounts how he devoted himself, body and soul, to his proud service as an elite U. S. Army Ranger in Korea and Vietnam—and what those years have taught him about himself, his country, and our future.Born at the start of the Great Depression, Black grew up on a farm at a time of great hardship but also tremendous national determination. He was a kid who toughened up fast, who learned the hard way to rely on his strength and his wits, who saw the country go to war with Germany and Japan and wept because he was too young to serve. As soon as the army would take him, Black enlisted. And as soon as he could muscle his way in, he became a Ranger.As a private first class in the 82d Airborne Division headquarters, Black withstood the humiliations of enlisted service in the peacetime brown-shoe army. When the Korean War began, he volunteered and trained to be an Airborne Ranger. In Korea, this young warrior, his mind and body bursting with the lusts of adolescence, grew up fast, literally in the line of fire. In clean, vivid prose, Black describes the hell of giving his all for a country that lacked the political resolve to give its all to a war against the North Koreans and the Chinese.If Korea was frustrating, Vietnam was maddening. The heart of this book is devoted to the years of action that Black saw in Long An Province starting in 1967. Black writes of the perplexity of collaborating with South Vietnamese officers whose culture and motives he never fully understood; he conjures up the sudden shock of the Tet Offensive and the daily horror of seeing fellow soldiers and innocent civilians slaughtered—sometimes by stray bullets, often by carelessness or treachery. Vietnam challenged everything Black had come to believe in and left him totally unprepared for the hostility he would face when he returned to a war-weary America. Written with extraordinary candor and passion, A Ranger Born is the memoir of a man who dedicated the best of his life to everything that is great and enduring about America. At once intimate in its revelations and universal in its themes, it is a book with profound relevance to our own troubled time in history. From the Hardcover edition

[caleebw]

Interview with Elder Tyrone Johnson

Elder Tyrone C. Johnson, Sr. affectionately known as “God’s Ambassador to the Streets,” was born on February 25, 1956 to Eugene and Mary Elizabeth Johnson (deceased) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his primary education in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. He graduated from P.S. duPont High School in Wilmington before entering the United States Army in the Signal Company, Fifth Special Forces group in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

After an honorable discharge from the Army, Elder Ty enrolled in Central Carolina Technical College where he received a diploma in Radio/Television Broadcasting. After working at several radio stations, he became one of North Carolina’s premiere radio announcer and account executive

In 1990, Elder Ty returned to Wilmington where he founded his first non-profit organization, M&MT Productions, where a group of young men began to address the problem of substance abuse amongst youth by introducing therapeutic drama through local community centers. The group went on to introduce comedy to Delaware through its “Comedy Slam Jam” programs which featured comedians from Russell Simmons’ HBO Comedy Show. M&MT organized the first Peace on the Streets march and rally in Wilmington in collaboration with the City of Wilmington, several churches, organizations, and youth groups where over 4,000 attended at Rodney Square.

In 1991 Elder Johnson gave his life to Christ. At this time he became a member of the Eighth Street Baptist Church where he grew both spiritually and professionally. As a spin-off of his work with M&MT Productions, Elder Ty was requested by Pastor Christopher A. Bullock to coordinate the Outreach Ministry effort at Eighth Street Baptist Church.

In 1994, Elder Ty founded Churches Take A Corner (CTAC), a holistic, community-based street ministry geared towards mobilizing faith-based congregations to save souls while helping people to move from drug and alcohol addictions and violence, to Christ. This ministry has grown over the past thirteen years and now provides the following programs to communities in need: 1) Street Invasions on drug-infested corners; 2) the Transitional Housing program; 3) the Restoration through Spiritual Development (RSD) Program which is dedicated to helping men and women who are making the transition from prison to their re-entry into larger society; 4) the Intensive Outpatient Program, a DE state licensed program responds to adult needs for drug and alcohol treatment and intervention; and 5) the Alpha Program, a mentoring program for children with incarcerated parents. In 1997, Elder Ty decided to answer his call to God’s Ministry. On September 24, 1997 he delivered his first sermon titled “Blessed And Highly Favored To Win” at Eighth Street Baptist Church. At this time, the members of Eighth Street Baptist Church unanimously voted to award him his official License to Preach the Gospel Ministry.

Elder Ty has been in uninterrupted recovery from drug addiction for seventeen years and is a very spirited, honest, and hardworking member of the Wilmington community. Elder Ty and his family joined Bishop Aretha Morton and the Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Church family in 2001 where he is a member of Bishop Gregory M. Davis’s episcopal team and leads the Men’s Ministry, Evangelism Team, and Married Couples Ministry. He has been the recipient of many awards including the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award. Elder Ty has served on many committees and boards, most notably the Governor’s Council on Corrections for the past 5 years to impact change within the State Correctional System, Alfred I. DuPont Hospital For Children Ethics Committee, and the Coalition to Build a Safer Community which studied the root causes of violence in the City of Wilmington, leading to the development of the Wilmington Hope Commission.

Elder Ty is a revered leader by the people in the general Wilmington community and throughout the State of Delaware. His mentors include preachers, politicians, community activists, and elders in the community.

Elder Ty is married to Lisa M. B. Johnson and has four children, Neva, Antione, TyLisa and Tyrone, Jr.

[sandyhookhistory]

"Another Character From New Jersey." 100 Years Ago Today - (Wednesday) January 31st, 1923, Long Branch, New Jersey: Nachem Malech Mailer is born in his mother's hometown. A few years, a pen name, and a world war down the road, Norman Kingsley Mailer, newly aged 21, draft notice in hand, would walk into the US Army's Camp Upton in Yaphank, New York on March 27th, 1944, and raise his right hand. He then became Private Norman K. Mailer, US Army, Serial No. 42127367. Basic Training was at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Philippines followed. Initially he found himself stuck doing clerical work in the 112th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division on Leyte. Requesting to join the fray, Mailer found himself on scout and reconnaissance work, something that didn't lend itself to a long life expectancy. Multiple combat patrols followed - this image shows him with the distinctive Combat Infantryman's Badge (CIB). Following the end of hostilities, he ended up as a unit cook, something he purportedly enjoyed, rotated home, and left the Army in 1946. His haunting experiences in the Philippines would last a lifetime, and would impact his first work, "The Naked And The Dead," in 1948. Of his time in the Army, he was quoted as saying "[it] the worst experience of my life, and also the most important." Infamous as the man became, I will let this post end here with the conclusion of his Army service as we look at the 80th Anniversary of World War 2, and from his humble beginnings on the beaches of Monmouth County, New Jersey. 🇺🇲🇺🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲 (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoFuJ6aArYD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sasa-chans-random-history]

January 03

[1892] J.R.R. Tolkien, British author, born in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

[1939] Nikos Alefantos, Greek football midfielder and manager (Olympiacos), born in Edessa, Greece.

[1940] Bernard Blaut, Polish football midfielder and manager (UAE), born in Krapkowice, Poland.

[1946] Michalis Kritikopoulos, Greek football striker, born in Kaisariani, Greece.

[1952] Jim Ross, American pro wrestling announcer (WWE), born in Fort Bragg, California.

[1953] Peter Taylor, English football winger and manager (Leicester City, Hull, Crystal Palace), born in Rochford, England.

[1956] Mel Gibson, American actor and filmmaker, born in Perkskill, New York.

[1976] Angelos Basinas, Greek football defensive midfielder, born in Chalkida, Greece.

[1977] Lee Bowyer, English football midfielder and manager (Charlton Athletic), born in London, England.

[1986] Jacob Timpano, Australian football player.

[1988] Ikechi Anya, Scottish football midfielder, born in Glasgow, Scotland.

[1988] Jonny Evans, Northern Irish football defender, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

[1990] Yoichiro Kakitani, Japanese football midfielder, born in Osaka, Japan.

[2003] Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate change activist, born in Stockholm, Sweden.

[1322] Philip V, King of France (from 1316) and king of Navarre (as Philip II, from 1314). died.

[1437] Catherine of Valois, French Princess, wife of King Henry V of England, mother of King Henry VI, grandmother of the first Tudor monarch of England, King Henry VII, died.

[1701] Prince Louis I of Monaco, died.

[1705] Luca Giordano, Italian painter, died.

[1979] Conrad Hilton, American hotel mogul, dies at 91.

[1981] Princess Alice of Albany, Countess of Athlone, last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria, dies at 97.

[2022] Kamel Lemoui, Algerian football defender and manager (Algeria), dies from COVID-19 at 82.

[winnix85]

About Kathy renting a house near Camp Toccoa and how disconnected people state-side from people at war

Source: Biggest Brother; Conversations with Major Dick Winters; Social notes in Pinehurst North Carolina newspaper “The Charlotte Observer”  1943-1945

Biggest Brother: “Winters knew her somewhat. She had taken a house near Camp Toccoa while the 506th was in training, and Nixon had often invited Winters to the house for meals or conversation.”

Conversations with Major Dick Winters: “Nixon had been married, but he had no love at home. I went to his house many times. He would invite, not just me, but he would invite a group of officers and company to his home on weekends.“

This house was actually near Camp Mackall & Fort Bragg in North Carolina (or, it’s possible that Kathy rented houses in both Toccoa and NC)----but the place discussed here is the one in North Carolina.

The house was called “Primrose Cottage” in a neighbourhood named “Cottage Colony” (somewhere near Cherokee Rd, Pinehurst, North Carolina)----20min by car to Camp Mackall; 40min by car to Fort Bragg.

Miss Paola de Janze (who later became the Countess de Rougemount) was living at Primrose Cottage with Kathy and Lewis Nixon. She was a grandniece of Simeon Brooks Chapin (a famous financier and philanthropist who founded the Pinehurst Soldiers’ Lounge). She was an ethusiast of equestrian and Polo match. She was also a socialite and quite acitive in high society, and that’s why we can find Lewis Nixon’s name in the social notes of North Carolina.

Kathy was living in Pinehurst from March 1943 to March 1945 (Lewis Nixon was shipped to England in Sep 1943 but she was 8-month pregnant back then so she can’t travel back to Arizona. Michael was born in Pinehurt NC in Oct 1943. She lived in Pinehurst until March 1945, then she moved to CA to live with Mrs Stanhope Nixon (only for a brief time before the divorce).

I was thinking the cottage was like a modest 2-bedroom townhouse, but now I think I might be very WRONG. and prob it’s not only Kathy that Dick didn’t like. It’s probable that Dick didn’t like the whole neighborhood. Here is why:

Dick mentioned that he was invited to Nixon’s place along with other officers. I was thinking it’s Harry and Hester and other officers from 101. But probably not only them. Here in the social notes showed whom Mrs Lewis Nixon dined with: 12 Dec 1943 "Following cocktails in the Pine Room at The Carolina, Miss Paola de Jonze gave a dinner in honor of her sister...Her other guests were Mrs Lewis Nixon, Lt. Nicholas Biddle......” This  Lt. Nicholas Biddle was the son of renowned Anthony Drexel Biddle, who was a US ambassador, from the famous Biddle family of Philadelphia (Norman Dike’s mother pretended to be from this Biddle family but she was actually not).

Also living in the “Cottage Colony” neighborhood was Liet Col. J. Stillman Rockefeller (James Stillman Rockefeller) from the Rockefeller family.

On 17th December 1944, German invaded Bastogne, and on the same day these activities were going on in Pinehurst: "Christmas is in every Pinehurst plan. The hotels and cottages alike look to a gala holiday, with many servicemen on leave...For Christmas Day an equestrian afternoon is schedules, with a horse show in the Carolina ring...The Golf club's annual turkey shoot will be held on Saturday...Miss Paola de Janze, who lives at Primrose cottage with Capt. and Mrs Lewis Nixon, shot the goal which made the difference between win and tie when she played at the Pinehurst polo match."

In summary, at the Pinehurst Soldiers' lounge and Country Club there was endless bridge games, dinner parties, golf tournaments, polo matches, horseback ridings (all the prominent horse owners are “wintering their horses” here) There were equestrian matches and polo games between Camp Mackall and Fort Bragg, in 1944!  On 1st Jan 1944 “a soldier escaped prison in Camp Mackall on a thoroughbred mare”, and on 16 Jan 1944: "Pinehusrt's servicemen's lounge seemed "a bit o' Heaven" last week to the airborne troops completing their maneuvers in this vicinity and coming in from the "battle" area after a bout with sleet and snow, as well as a four-day fight with an imaginary enemy. All day Saturday and during part of Sunday, busy hostesses served sandwiches, cookies, cakes and hot coffee to the boys.” 

I mean, when I read Dick’s book about Fort Bragg “You would think that after two months of not sleeping on a bed, dirty clothes, and trudging up and down the Tennessee hills, one would relish the peaceful surroundings of Fort Bragg.”----I was like “OK, so Fort Bragg has clean beds and hot shower” but then when I read about social activities at Pinehusrt's servicemen's lounge in old newspapers I was like “IS THERE A WAR???OR IT’S IN A PARALLELE WORLD???”  From the social notes of Pinehurst locals, the life in Camp Mackall was like a holiday resort! No suprise Kathy thought her husband abandoned her to have all the fun in war games

[maturemenoftvandfilms]

Raymond Floyd Born: September 4, 1942, Fort Bragg, NC Physique: Husky Build Height: 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)

Raymond Loran Floyd is an American retired golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour, including four majors and three senior majors. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.

Floyd is one of the guys that got me watching golf back in the 90s. The filthy things I would do to this man. A nice ass with wide hips built for a good, hard pounding. I wonder if he's dating since his wife died in 2012. 

What? I can wonder.