#USS Colorado

[lonestarbattleship]

USS COLORADO (BB-45), Queen of the Seas, tied to a pier in New York Navy Yard, prior to her maiden voyage.

"Uncle Sam's newest addition to the navy is receiving final equipment before her cruise to Europe. COLORADO is the navy's most powerful high seas fighting instrument, the greatest in the world, and is commanded by Capt. Reginald R. Belknap."

Photographed by Kadel & Herbert News on October 25, 1923.

AP Photo: H-15645-S

[burnertracfone]

Untitled by @drunkonishuten

[carbone14]

Cuirassé USS Colorado (BB-45) pendant les essais en mer – 1923

©U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command - NH 55274

[pearlharborshipresort]

Overdue for some baser gratification.

Decades overdue.

All three.

[admiralnelsoniii]

USS West Virginia. This Colorado Class Battleship was raised from the mud of Pearl Harbor and went on to fire more shots in anger than any other battleship of WWII! Me being a West Virginia native, she is near and dear to my heart! 🥰

[typewritingyip]

The Arcturus Missions

Part Seventeen - Anger Issues

Part Sixteen

———

Prior to becoming a pilot, Harold Jackson, callsign Hound, had been an enlisted officer for the United States Army. It was all he had ever known really, his father had been in the army and they moved from base to base like any other military family. The housing was similar enough that each room felt like his own and life was always chaotic but simple. From coast to coast and in other countries, he was content with that life. 

The Quintessons attacked when he was still young, the first response was with military action, the Air Force and Navy, naval pilots were the first to scout the enomally off of Hawai’i. The aircraft carrier the USS Enterprise which had been in the North Arabian Sea on exercise with German, French, and British forces, was the first thing attacked by the foreign invader. When the first call from Hawai’i reached them, they redirected the course to provide assistance. It sustained too much damage to remain in operation but its nuclear reactor was safely removed before its decommission. It was one of ten aircraft carriers in the pacific and Indian oceans during that time, many sustain unrecoverable damages.

With the Cold War in active swing, it was difficult to initially adjust focus, but once they started to attack cities most powers were redirecting their focuses away from the arms race and into the mechanical suit race. Just another angle initially, which eventually turned into government cooperation.

Hound had enlisted at eighteen, understanding only some of what was happening and signing up for the compatibility testing after bootcamp. It was around that same time when Hound got married, though the wait for his mech suit was longer than his marriage. His father had signed up for the testing as well and was found non-compatible, he was medically discharged not long after. Hound knew how much it broke his father to not be compatible, both in spirit and body, he didn’t understand how hard the test was until he was in it. No one comes out the other side of compatibility the same person. 

His ex-wife lives in a “protected city” somewhere in Colorado, specifically away from coastal regions and major epicenters, near to a mech suit outpost for the marines. She was receiving housing and funding from Mecha on behalf of Hound to ensure her safety, her and his father, it’s one of the many reasons he agreed to head the Arcturus One mission. He may not love her and she may hate him, but he didn’t want to see her remains on the next cover report, hers or his fathers. It was hard not to care when the person used to be your best friend, no matter what they did to lose that place or what you did. 

—

Hound had fallen back asleep in command, tipped back in his chair while the others had talked, Megatron’s explanation dying off when his head began to droop. The lights in his cockpit were off, but he remained in his chair, leaning back comfortably enough. It was nice enough until a shrill voice woke him up, “Sir, Hound isn’t at camp.” Sideswipe was the most frustrating person to him at that very moment, groaning quietly as he tipped the chair back up, “That’s because he was here, discussing plans with us.” Megatron stood, now sober and feeling improved from last night. Hound took the moment to stretch and stand, “Sideswipe, I would suggest checking everywhere or comming me before jumping to conclusions.” He walks over and rests a hand on his shoulder, “Thank you for the concern though. Nodding some, Sideswipe sighs, “Breakdown woke us all up not knowing where you were,” “Breakdown?” It was almost hard to tell that Sideswipe looped sheepish, but the body language was easy enough to read, “He left medical this morning, to much protest from Knockout. I think the medic is still yelling at him for being a ‘big wreckless oaf’.” He chuckles and with a sigh, Hound nods to Megatron before heading out of command. 

Yelling was certainly one way of putting it, Knockout was shrieking at Breakdown who was now sitting near the heater, his head hanging down. Sighing, Hound jogged over, “Alright, enough. Why are you screaming, Doctor?” He moved and stood between them, “Breakdown won’t let me run a systems check, he says everything is fine but his arm is hardly attached.” Knockout rested his hands on his hips, jaw set. Sighing deeply, Hound nodded, “Because your systems will crash ours, I’m sorry if this is inconvenient but it's for his safety that he turns it down.” Raising a hand, Hound stops Knockout, “But, he is off duty until further notice. Once we’re back in Iacon we’ll finish repairs but he’ll be on the bench for a while.” Breakdown looked up, “What?” Hound really just wanted to hit his head against a wall, “We’re going to keep following typical standards, two weeks at least of light duty.” Now both of them were angry and it was draining. 

“Alright, enough!” Hound holds up his hands, “Knockout, if Breakdown were to stay in the medical tent until we return to Iacon, would that make you happy?” Knockout stopped and nodded, “Yes, of course.” “Hound,” Breakdown steps forward and Hound turns to him, “You should be resting regardless, your two weeks start now. Go lay down, that is in fact an order.” He could almost feel the bitterness rolling off of Breakdown, who turned away, “I swear, once we’ve returned to Iacon we can discuss this but until then, please just rest.” The cold shoulder was like a blizzard or arctic night. Sighing deeply, Hound moved to the others, shaking his head a bit, “If there is no attack today we should be returning to Iacon tonight.” “Thank god for that.” Sideswipe sank back down, rubbing his face, “I’ve got a great plan for something in the apartment.” Groaning, Sunstreaker shook his head, sitting back, “It’s too early for great plans.” “Yeah, well it’s too early to sneak off to talk to the guy who almost killed you.” Hound hits the heater, “Enough arguing! Enough. Just, spread out and take some time away from each other. Please. Let’s wait and see what the projection looks like before we try and kill each other.” He had a headache that was getting worse with every moment of arguing.

Slowly, Sunstreaker walked off, Sideswipe followed though at a distance. Breakdown was back to medical, and Jazz was sitting on the ground near the heater. Sighing, Hound joined him, rubbing his face, “How did you get used to working with other pilots? Or, mechs?” They were all, mostly, used to working solo. The suits were big enough to level a city block at times and more than one was hardly ever needed. Jazz chuckled slightly, “Well, I worked with Prowl solo for about the first six months or so. Not with other strong willed pilots, but still someone with experience.” Nodding a bit, Jazz leans back to stare at the sky, “I also didn’t have a unit of people from diverse backgrounds to command, all I had to do was adjust to one culture. I also didn’t have two pilots who had never been in the military to watch over,” the look almost makes Hound groan, “Their great pilots, but we both know that this is something that’ll take plans they aren’t used to and a lot more orders.” Also looking at the sky, Hound groaned, “I was worried you’d say that.” Jazz snorts, grinning, “Yeah well, you all have a lot of adjustments to make still.” With a hum, Hound threw his arm back over his eyes, still so tired. Yawning, he turns off the lights in his cockpit and turns down his visual feed, “Adjustments I'll start making, after I get some more sleep.” It didn’t take Hound long to fall back asleep, not long at all.

Jazz sat there, smiling a bit, “You’ve already made some Hound.” He glances over towards command where Red Alert and Mirage were talking, Mirage leaning against the wall comfortably, “You just can’t see it yet.” He smiles and moves to be able to watch their surroundings so his friend could sleep easier. Sometimes, the cluelessness of the other pilots drove him mad and sometimes he wondered if they were all just more nearsighted than they looked. 

—

Sunstreaker went and sat with Bluestreak, glancing back over his shoulder at Sideswipe who diverted to sit with a few other mechs, he breathed a sigh of relief. The other mecha sitting with Blue glanced at each other before standing, “Hey, we’re going to go eat. See ya Blue.” One patted him on the shoulder and the other gave him a thumbs up before heading off towards food, talking quietly to each other. Sunstreaker paused, frowning a bit, “Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to chase off your friends.” “What? Oh, no you’re fine!” Bluestreak leans forward some, smiling nervously, he clears his throat a bit, “They’ve been waiting for an excuse to get away.” Sunstreaker chuckled slightly, “I doubt that.” Bluestreak smiled and glanced over towards Sideswipe, frowning, “Look,” “We’re not going to talk about that here.’ Sunny rested his hand over Blue’s, visor brightening, “Later, so, um.” He clears his throat and pulls his hand back, glancing up and away, “Have you ever been to this planet before?” Bluestreak smiled, “Yeah, but it was just for a different fight.” He tries to wave it off, but Sunstreaker turns to him, “Tell me about it.” Bluestreak chuckles lightly, “Uh, why?” The smile couldn’t be kept from Sunstreaker’s face, “The longer I sit here and you don’t try to kill me, the more likely it’ll be that Sides will eventually forgive you.” “Oh.” Nodding slowly, Bluestreak frowned, “You or—humans, are very strange.” Sunstreaker laughed.

Shaking his head a bit, Sunstreaker rubs at his chest, “Oh Blue, you don’t know the half of it. So, what was the last fight here like for you?” Bluestreak’s face lit up, “Well it was back during the last war, primus, you would have thought we were insane back then. Fighting after the fall of the system we were fighting over,” Sunstreaker stares and chuckles slightly, “You really don’t know anything about Earth, do you?” Bluestreak looks at him and shakes his head a bit, “Uh, no, not really. Jazz doesn’t talk about it much and Prowl said to not bother him with it.” Nodding a bit, Sunstreaker shrugged slightly, “Well, I’ll tell you more about it after your story. So, this last war, you were here,” he prompts lightly, Bluestreak nods and starts talking, smiling brightly. Sunstreaker smiled and just listened, glad to listen to someone who wasn’t giving him orders or was his brother. 

—

The shuttle that evening was not sentient and Hound was still never sure to be relieved or not. It always took Sideswipe the longest to figure out if they were on a shuttle he knew personally or not, Sunstreaker always had the easiest time with it. For the moment, Breakdown was not speaking to Hound which was understandable, typically they were on equal footing but having to pull rank always left others feeling ruffled. Jazz was up towards the front talking with the pilot, but the entire shuttle was full of mechs. Each seat was filled and there was limited walking space since it was filled with the construction materials, plus the heaters. The twins were pretending to be asleep, really they were out of their chairs and talking over comms in English. Just because they had the translator doesn’t mean they wanted to use it all the time. 

Sitting back, Hound was almost asleep himself when the second ring of his comm drew his attention. He paused for a moment before adjusting his setting to answer, “Hello?” There was a brief sigh on the other side of the line, “I wasn’t sure if you were going to answer, most mechs answer as soon as it pings.” Mirage sounded like he was smiling, “You doing alright after last night?” Hound smiles a bit, “Yes, thank you for your concern Mirage.” He thought for a moment that that’s where the conversation would end, “I saw what happened this morning, uh, is that normal for you all?” Sighing, Hound scratches at his jaw and chuckles, “Kind of, pilots back home, we’re not used to working with other pilots.” 

“Why not?” Hound opened his mouth and stopped, tilting his head a bit before biting back a swear, “We’re spread out across the planet to protect as many civilians as we can. The five of us being in one place at once, it’s not typical and certainly not what we were trained for.” Mirage hums, “So, the tension is growing.” “Exactly.” Sighing, Hound rubbed his face, “Only ones who are used to working with each other are Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, and even then they only did when in the same region during an attack. Most of us had never worked together before this mission.” He swore he could hear a pin drop over that line before Mirage took a breath, “They sent you, on a death mission, with people who you’d never worked with?” Shaking his head a bit, Hound sighs, “No, not quite. For around six months, uh, half a stellar cycle, we were together preparing for this mission. Isolated together, mostly.” Mirage made an indignant noise. 

Chuckling lightly, Hound scratched at his jaw, “Don’t like that either, huh?” “I just don’t understand your people, redesigning and reprogramming you all for this.” Hound hummed, leaning his head back comfortably, “Someone has to do the work that no one else wants to do.” There was another long pause, before Mirage spoke up again, “Prowl says the same thing, Megatron says the same thing.” Grinning, he shrugged lightly, “There are some things that almost transcend culture.” Mirage hummed lightly, then cleared his throat, “So, we will be in Iacon by morning,” “Will we?” Hound’s internal clock was shot, both his internal clock and the one in his suit, Mirage’s smile was even evident through the comm, “Yes, and I understand you’ll want some time to rest and repair Breakdown of course, but I was wondering when we’d be able to have that, uh, talk.” It took him a second to remember what Mirage was talking about, “Oh, the one about where Breakdown is from?” Mirage and his pauses, “Yes,” Nodding a bit, Hound leaned forward and glanced over to Jazz, gesturing towards his head lightly.

It was several longer seconds of silence before the click of someone joining the comm came through, “Yo.” Hound leaned back, “Jazz, how much free time do you think we will have when we get to Iacon?” Jazz popped up in the corner of Hound’s visual feed, he responded with his own internal camera but ensuring both were kept from Mirage’s view, “Uh, I don’t know. Depends on how long Joan is in his meeting,” “Joan?” The confusion in Mirage’s voice almost made Hound double over, even as Jazz’s face turned dark with blush, “Hound! You could warn a mech when having them enter a comm,” Still laughing, Hound sits up and wipes at his eyes, “Sorry Jazz, Mirage and I were discussing when’s we would be able to meet up to talk about the Soviet Union, in turn I added you to ask what Prowl’s plan looked like. Mirage, Joan is what we’ve taken to call your boss over private comms. She was a figure not dissimilar to your Prime.” Both men sat in silence, as if waiting for the other to break it. 

Hound cleared his throat a bit, “Regardless, do you think a meeting with the Prime will be possible once we get there or will we have a while?” Jazz sighed and leaned forward, looking at Hound, “After we’ve had time to repair Breakdown, I think we’re going to have some time before we’ll get an audience with the Prime. Why?” He shifted a bit uncomfortably on his own seat, sitting back and away from Jazz’s prying eyes the best he could other than for the camera, “Well, Mirage wanted to learn a bit about the Iron Curtain,” “And other things about you— and Earth. Your planet seems so interesting.” Hound smiled a bit, “It is, or it can be.” Jazz was smirking, leaning back and shaking his head, “It’s almost cute how you all are skating around other mecha. Trying to make friends.” Mirage made a noise, and suddenly Hound wasn’t sure if Jazz was talking to him or Mirage. It took only a second for an answer, “Your species of mechanicals are so different from ours, your way of life, your relationships. None of you have mentioned being conjuxed and yet have split sparks, things that seem so familiar yet there are things that are… missing.” Hound cleared his throat a bit, “I’m sorry, the translator didn’t take to that word. What does being conjuxed mean?” Jazz stayed silent, though his hand was covering his mouth as he held back laughter and Mirage was painfully silent. 

After nearly a minute ticked by, Hound sighed, “Is it something incredibly private or?” Weak laughter filled the line, “No, Primus no, it’s just your translator makes you sound strange for some words when they don’t translate.” It was another second before Mirage sighed, “Conjux is short for Conjux Endura, it’s a committed relationship between two mecha, for the rest of your life.” Hound paused and nodded slowly, “So like being married.” “I suppose, though that is not translating either.” Hound chuckled slightly, “Marriage is a committed relationship between two, uh, mecha for the rest of your life. Unless you get divorced like I did.” Mirage made an ear piercing sound and Jazz choked, nearly shooting out of his seat while leaning forward, “What the hell?” “What?” There was a click for a moment, as Mirage left the comm, “What? What did I say?” Then there was another click as Jazz left for a second. He was left in the quiet for a moment before two clicks notified him that they were back on the line.

Jazz sat there, staring at him and shook his head, “No, no, I need you to say that without the translator on. That can’t be right.” Mirage was making the slightest of choking sounds still, so adjusting his setting Hound sighed, “I’m talking about my divorce Jazz.” Several seconds went by, “Oh, oh! I didn’t think that would translate like that.” He pauses, “Damn, uh,” There was a click and he went silent, then a second click as Mirage went silent as well. Setting his jaw, Hound leaned his head back and picked at his fingers. It wasn’t a topic he even remotely enjoyed talking about, two clicks showed they re-entered the comm line, “It is much more normal on Earth Mirage, it’s not a bad thing and certainly not.. that.” He could hear the mech breath out a sigh of relief, “You can understand my concern Jazz,” Mirage clears his throat, “I apologize Hound, your ‘divorce’ translates as something rather drastic in our language. Not a separation of legally binding relations.” Opening his mouth, Hound tried to say something before shaking his head, “You know what, I don’t want to know. My divorce isn’t anyone’s business but mine.” “Of course, I apologize.” Jazz hums lightly, “I knew some things would never translate but that was just something else. No word for divorce is nuts.” Nodding a bit, Hound folds his arms before sighing, “Yes, very odd.” It was uncomfortable, so Hound disconnects from the line, dimming his visor to ensure he wasn’t disturbed before deactivating his comm. 

No word for divorce and whatever it translated into seemed like murder, setting his jaw, he leaned back and closed his eyes. It wasn’t anyone’s business but his, no one needed to know he was divorced. Pausing, he sighed, he hadn’t set up the time to talk to Mirage about Earth properly. Sparing a glance towards where Breakdown was sitting, it would have to wait. His systems were shut down quickly so he was able to throw his arm over his eyes, removing the helmet and visor. Sometimes, the differences felt greater than they probably were. 

———

A/N

I think I am finally recovering from being sick, but we will see. Next part will hopefully be out Monday and I’ll actually get to that schedule that I was talking about before.

Tags!

@lunarlei68 @whirlywhirlygig @loop-hole-319 @pixillandjester @alek-the-witch @not-a-moose-in-disguise @goddessofwind8water @neurologicalglitch @dersereblogger @pixel-transformers @mrcrayonofdoom @wireplaces @twilightfreefaller @original-blog-name-2 @devilangel657 @robbin-u @childofprimus @miniartistme @starwold @tea-enthusiasm @valeexpris606 @celticdoggo @bird599 @agentsquirrelsgotrobots @aquaioart @dimencreasatlas @thatwandercat @artdagz @seisha974 @starscreamloverfr @halenhusky309 @leethepiper @cat-cassette @blue-wrens @sirassban @astridkolch @cosmique-oddity

And once again thank you to @keferon for this amazing AU

[nevermindtheweights]

[Sent by @pearlharborshipresort]

It wasn't often that secretaries received messages directed at them, so when they did, it was noteworthy, at least somewhat.

The naval base set in Nemuro received a from the Pearl Harbor naval base, informally informing specifically Colorado that an USS Maryland Shipgirl will be arriving shortly at the base, and that she asks for an audience with her sister ship.

It was more common that you'd first think though they typically had little importance to them. Colorado handled various matters on the base so it wasn't uncommon to have an email directed at herself to handle some issue or complaint or concern. It was little more than that though and in someway, you could argue that those were more aimed at the position than the blondie herself. She may even agree with you in one of her more less vain moods.

At first, she did consider disposing the message since, technically, Nozomi didn't like contact with other bases and if there was something, it tended to go through HER more than Nagato or herself. Such were the orders. Still, Nozomi had buggered off somewhere and taken her sister too. That damn woman. Honestly! Colorado had decided to take a look at the message. Not like she had to respond or anything. If THAT pressing, she'd just forward it onto the Admiral's inbox.

What she read did surprise her. Someone wasn't asking about random military matters, requesting a shipgirl or the more common one of asking to dump one of their more broken ones onto the base. It, instead, was more or less a message of notice. Notice that someone was gonna arrive. A Maryland, no less. Not her own sister ship either though frankly, she could do without that purifier lurking around....

The blonde toyed with the idea of refusing her access, asking the watchful girls who still did the base patrols to send the girl packing once she arrived.... Though, that was more or less the official way of doing stuff and frankly, the blondie was bored enough to at least humour this oddity. Sending a quick email to the sortie office and also the radio operators, Colorado yawned as she got herself up and headed to the docks, walking-waddling at a steady pace. Orders were to let her pass through, escort her if needed but to otherwise let the stranger into the military area.

Dressed properly though with her portly build, there was a certain adorable edge to the old shipgirl. She had her officer pistol on her waistband, more for show of status than anything that effective, least against another shipgirl. She watched the waters, bored, waiting to see just whom this was and what may happen....

It was exciting enough~

[judgemark45]

The modernized U.S. Navy battleship USS Colorado (BB-45) steams off lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, circa 1932

[pearlharborshipresort]

Iowa's eyes rolled back as Akigumo's flab engulfed her being, forcing her hands to grip her entire heft and hold her, as to stop her from 'falling', and giving her the greatest euphoric feeling she's ever experienced.

"A-Aannngghhff...~" A throaty and guttural moan escaped her lips, sweat covered her body as euphoria turned to climax.

She buried her face into Akigumo's fat, taking in it's softness for a solid 10 or so seconds, before the euphoria quickly died down, and she regained her lucidity, rationality, and did so with a familiar sensation from within her legs.

Iowa awkwardly shot her head up to look at Akigumo, stunned and not knowing exactly what to say. "O-oh my god I am-- I am so sorry I don't know what came over me...!" Iowa apologized profusely, her face now getting red for a completely different reason.

God please don't let Akigumo find her disgusting, even though she has every right to.

--------

"Bghhrlkfff... nghhggrghkff... so fucking full... h-hurts...!" She barely managed to say without hurling, it hurt so much, she wanted to explode, but she couldn't, and she couldn't vomit in this Admiral's room, it would be a humiliation to the Colorado class as a whole.

"C-coat... tight... bghhrlk... off..." She grunted, too tired and exhausted to even bother TRYING.

"I-I did... ghhrk... it tho... a-and you said I couldn't... Jap yuck..." She said with a pained, but arrogant grin, she 'won', and now this Admiral had to face the truth of her excellence.

This in no way was the desired outcome for only one singular party in the room.

Following the lead of Akigumo, Iowa let herself get closer to her, until it softly, lightly, but surely was pressed against the enormous mass of belly that stretched so far ahead.

Iowa gently grabbed and squeezed her lovehandles, then, gliding her hands over to her back, being sure to take in every roll and deformity in it’s full detail, her pupils slowly diluting further as she worked her way further and further up and onto her flabby, damp neck.

With a gulp, she slowly and delicately undid the tie that held her overgarment on, peeling it slowly to unveil the even tighter undershirt, white and soaked, just transparent enough to entice the thought, but still covering enough to keep it a mystery.

Iowa’s mouth opened some, her mouth was somehow simultaneously dry, and yet she felt herself almost drool several times. Her breaths getting heavier, her heartrate shooting up, her libido entering into overdrive.

- - - - - - -

“W-why… ghff… hahh… wouldn’t I be able to…?! It’s not even that much…” Colorado grumbled, and now irritated, she reached towards another item, she didn’t bother seeing what, it didn’t matter, she’d finish this feast and then a second one just to prove a point!

Her eating however, would clearly slow down… she was full, stuffed to the brim, she’s already eaten enough for a large family, and she was only two thirds done.

Grunting and groaning she kept forcing food into her mouth, it wasn’t even fun or tasty anymore, but this braggart Admiral was doubting a mighty member of the Big 7, and that will not stand, especially not an AMERICAN.

And so she slowly and laboriously forced the rest of the cart into her protesting food baby, and when the last measly fry entered her mouth, she finally allowed herself to lean back, so bloated and stretched she wanted to cry, but she forced herself to avoid such an embarrassing sight.

“…bghHHURLK—…nghhllp… bggrhk… bwHHRRuuurrrRwhrp… eulgh… nahghhf… t-there… ghaahhh… too… HHRHLK— hffffnglp… eashy…”

Colorado felt the food fight at every turn to escape, so much so that she had to semi-frequently cover her mouth to avoid spewing the nearly 20 pounds of pure Yankee dishes that forced her stomach to very nearly pop one of her straining buttons.

[lonestarbattleship]

"MIGHTIEST FOR WAR AND FOR PEACE. Uncle Sam's latest and largest battleship U.S.S. COLORADO' docked alongside the giant S.S. "LEVIATHAN."

Both Queens of the Seas. COLORADO, (left) the largest of Uncle Sam's battleships, was dwarfed in the shadow of the giant Leviathan as they lay together for the first time at the River Pier at West 44th St., N.Y. COLORADO looks like a tiny craft alongside of the mighty Levnathan."

Date: November 9, 1923

AP Photo: link

[geordis-visor]

I’ve been thinking about this for a bit now, but like, why aren’t there Federation ships with alien names??? All the ships are like “USS Excelsior”, “USS Colorado”. But like, where are the ships named after Vulcan stuff? Or Andorian? It’s not the Earth federation, it’s a federation of PLANETS. If there are some and I’m just blind please enlighten me.

[captain-price-unofficially]

USS Colorado (BB-45) firing her after 16-inch 45 caliber guns during the pre-invasion bombardment of Okinawa on March 29, 1945.

[carbone14]

Le cuirassé USS West Virginia (BB-48) – Mars 1926

[pearlharborshipresort]

Colorado's mouth was dry, she didn't believe it, she couldn't, her sister would never do such a thing.

It HAD to be false... right...?

"I-I don't believe you, it's cockeyed, nonsense, why would she...?--"

"You believing me is irrelevant, Maryland assaulted a Shipgirl, bashed her head in with malice and intent."

"But w-why would she...?!"

"Because she's in a Japanese base, a psychotic, shell-shocked and bigoted racist. You ignored it because it doesn't register, does it? You call them Japs, but it's slang for you, just how things were done. You dislike their language, but you understand they are just speaking a language. The fact they were a horrid enemy you fought against decades ago is a coincidence, these aren't Imperial Japanese Navy and you know that."

"O-obviously... I don't care about them... what about it...?" Colorado felt like she knew... Maryland wasn't bantering, was she? Laughing at their expense just to cope... using Imperial Japan as a scapegoat, out of sight of anyone who'd be affected.

"Your sister never moved on. I said this decades ago, and you didn't listen. I voted to scrap her, and you insisted not to. Now look at your handiwork, a Shipgirl, belonging to the JAPANESE NAVY, her head BASHED in, because you denied her problems, because it wasn't nice. You didn't look and focused on yourself, like always."

"Shut the fuck--" Colorado couldn't finish getting her sentence out, Washington reached a strong hand to the bloated girl, lifting her up by the chin before she could.

"You think I'm against her? S-She was my friend, I served alongside her. SHE WENT BAD Colorado! Psychotic and violent! You want to be a good fucking sister, maybe stop being in denial and help her for once!" Washington's voice shook, ever so slightly, and the resolve in her eyes wavered only momentarily, showing a glimpse of just how HURT she was.

"Ngh... I-I... but she wouldn't--...would she...?" Colorado wanted to just deny it, but Washington wasn't the type to lie, and she looked distraught enough herself.

"Nemuro'll decide what happens with her, luckily for you, she probably won't be killed. If I had my way? She'd be rusting in the marianna trench." And back was that resolve, her resoluteness and decisiveness, efficient and precise, that's how Washington did things.

Colorado didn't know how to even reply, she just stared at nothing. Her sister went crazy, she attacked another Shipgirl during peacetime... in a friendly, allied base, and almost killed her.

She... needed to support her now, in this time... maybe... what should she do...? She can't support her... she did something awful... can she even be by her side without being ON her side...?

Colorado didn't even notice that Washington dropped her back to the couch and walked away, she could barely think, barely focus, Maryland's meltdown was something she didn't see something but--

It made sense when she thought about it... all the signs were there... the hatred, the instability, the desperate need for human connection... but Colorado focused on herself every time, she never asked how Maryland was, if she was feeling alright, what she thought...

She could have prevented this, if only she wasn't such a negligent self absorbed self important piece of worthless--

...

She curled up into a ball on the couch, face buried in her knees, and silently just began to cry, quietly, privately.

[deadpresidents]

Exactly 100 years ago, President Warren Gamaliel Harding escaped the sweltering summer weather and increasingly dark political climate of Washington, D.C. to embark upon a lengthy cross-country trip through parts of the American West still relatively unaccustomed to frequent visits by the nation’s Chief Executive. Billed as a “Voyage of Understanding”, Harding’s trip was seen as a prelude to his potential campaign for re-election the following year, and an opportunity to put some literal and figurative distance between the President and the rumors of rampant corruption swirling around some of Harding’s friends and closest aides from Ohio, as well as several Cabinet members — rumors eventually proven to be true, resulting in indictments, convictions, prison sentences, and even suicides. As President Harding prepared for his Western tour, he could feel the heat as the scandals plaguing his Administration began to reach a boiling point. Speaking privately to the famous journalist and editor William Allen White, Harding said of the Presidency, “My God, this is a hell of a job! I have no trouble with my enemies…But my damn friends, they’re the ones that keep me walking the floor nights.”

Harding’s planned 15,000-mile Voyage of Understanding began on June 20, 1923. Traveling aboard the private Pullman railroad car Superb, the 57-year-old President left Washington, D.C. accompanied by First Lady Florence Harding, Speaker of the House of Representatives Frederick H. Gillett, new Interior Secretary Hubert Work, and a large retinue of aides, friends and their families, doctors, Secret Service agents, and members of the press. Work had become Secretary of the Interior a few months earlier when the previous Secretary, Albert B. Fall, became the “fall guy” for the Teapot Dome scandal. For his role in the scandal, Fall was later convicted of accepting bribes — the first former Cabinet member in American history to serve time in prison for crimes committed while in office. At later points along the journey, Harding’s party was also joined by Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace (father of future Vice President Henry A. Wallace) and Secretary of Commerce (and future President) Herbert Hoover.

The last week of June 1923 was spent traveling through the Mountain West — Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Yellowstone National Park. The beginning of July saw the Presidential party in the Northwest and celebrating Independence Day in Portland, Oregon before boarding the USS Henderson in Tacoma, Washington on July 5, 1923 to sail to Alaska. One of the expected highlights of the Voyage of Understanding was the northernmost  leg of the trip, as Harding became the first incumbent President of the United States to visit Alaska and Canada. The Territory of Alaska had been purchased for the United States by Secretary of State William Seward in 1867 when Warren G. Harding was two years old, and at the time of Harding’s visit, Alaska was still 35 years from being admitted to the Union as the 49th state. But the President spent nearly the entire month of July traveling through the state, mixing public appearances with private recreation and sightseeing. On July 15, 1923, Harding hammered a golden spike in Nenana, Alaska to officially complete the Alaska Railroad. And ten days later, the President crossed into Canada, fishing on the Campbell River in British Columbia on July 25th and then making an official visit the following day in Vancouver, where he was greeted by one of the largest crowds of his voyage — estimated at over 40,000 people — and where he also squeezed in a round of golf at the exclusive Shaughnessy Golf Club.

The President returned to American soil on July 27th, arriving in Seattle and making several speeches in a busy six-hour period — first to Camp Fire Girls at Volunteer Park, then to nearly 30,000 Boy Scouts at Woodland Park, and finishing the day addressing over 30,000 people at what is now Husky Stadium at the University of Washington where he predicted statehood for Alaska, where he had spent most of the month. After making a brief appearance that evening at the Seattle Press Club, Harding boarded his train that night to travel to Portland, Oregon.

But something was not right. The President seemed to be exhausted, perhaps from the grueling trip through geography much wilder than Harding’s native Ohio or swampy Washington, D.C. Despite his exciting journey through Alaska and the energetic welcome provided by the Canadian people, Harding was clearly wiped out by the time he reached British Columbia. The President did head to the country club while in Vancouver, but he was so tired that after six holes of golf his foursome skipped directly to the eighteenth hole, seemingly completing the round without tipping off the press that Harding couldn’t play the entire course.

From the White House, nine days before embarking upon his Voyage of Understanding, Harding wrote a quick note to Solicitor General James M. Beck who had wished the President a safe journey on his upcoming trip. Thanking Beck, Harding wrote, “I shall try to remember not to overdo (it) in crossing the continent.” And, on June 14, 1923, six days before leaving, President Harding wrote a short letter to a young girl from Hartford, Connecticut named Vivian Little, who had recently sent the President a four-leaf clover as a good luck charm. “Thank you so much for the four-leaf clover which you were so good as to press and send to me,” the President wrote. “I hope it will bring me good luck and that it will bring you still more of the same.”

However, any luck that President Warren G. Harding still had seemed to be running out. Ill and exhausted after leaving Vancouver, Harding tried to rest aboard the USS Henderson as it sailed to Seattle in the early morning hours of July 27. At some point around 3 AM, Harding and the other passengers aboard the Henderson were jolted awake as the ship crashed into the USS Zeilin, an American destroyer accompanying the Presidential party while they traveled through the foggy Puget Sound. This was not the first mishap of the Voyage of Understanding. While traveling through Colorado early in the trip, three people from the President’s party had been killed in a car accident. And now, after a few weeks in Alaska where Harding was able to at least temporarily forget about his Administration’s many troubles, the President was not only sick and tired but two of his Navy’s ships had just smashed into each other almost as soon as he had returned to the continental United States. While the USS Zeilin was badly damaged in the collision, the USS Henderson was not and there were apparently no major injuries on either vessel. But when the President’s valet, Major Arthur Brooks, came to Harding’s stateroom aboard the Henderson to inform him that the captain was calling for all hands on deck, he found the depressed President lying on his bed with his face buried in his hands. “I hope the boat sinks,” President Harding quietly muttered.

It was just hours later that Harding made his whirlwind tour through Seattle, putting on a brave face at his public appearances, but clearly not feeling well. While he was never considered a brilliant orator like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Harrison, or his immediate predecessor, Woodrow Wilson, Harding was a strong speaker and excellent communicator who had a unique ability to connect with audiences, but he was obviously — and unusually — halting and confused while speaking in Seattle on July 27th. As he boarded his train at Seattle’s King Street Station that night, Harding was examined by his doctor and by Interior Secretary Hubert Work, who had once been a physician, and they decided to cancel the next several days of planned activities. Instead of stopping in Portland and then visiting Yosemite National Park, the Presidential party was ordered to proceed directly to San Francisco where Harding could rest before giving a speech on the radio planned for July 31st which was expected to be heard by over 5 million people.

Despite the four-leaf clover that had been sent to him by Vivian Little before his Voyage of Understanding, Warren Gamaliel Harding’s luck seemed to be running out. And, as his train sped through Oregon en route to San Francisco’s Palace Hotel on July 28, 1923, President Harding was also running out of time.  

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 1.17

Holidays

Apple Wassailing Day (Carhampton, UK)

Art’s Day (Robert Filliou)

Ben Franklin Day

Betty White Challenge Day

Business of America is Business Day

Cable Car Day

Carnivale begins (Italy)

Customer Service Day

Desert Storm Anniversary Day

Dia de la Divina Pastora Bank Holiday (Venezuela)

Ditch Your New Year's Resolutions Day

Drudge Day

Eartha Kitt Day (South Carolina)

Fire From the Sky

Hardware Freedom Day

International Mentoring Day

International We Are Not Broken Day

James Leonard Tagle Gordon Day (Philippines)

J.C. Penney Day

Judgment Day

Kid Inventors' Day

Lamb Chop Day

Liberation Day (Poland)

Make Your All-Time Top Ten TV Characters List

Martyrdom of Hazrat Fatemeh (Iran)

Menorca Day (Spain)

Military Industrial Complex Day

National Boxer Day

National Carolina Day

National Charlotte Day

National Classy Day

National Day of Racial Healing

National Feedback Day

National Lose the Jet Lag Day

National Public Employees Appreciation Day

National Puggle Day

National Ta Day

National We Are Not Broken Day

National Women in Science & Engineering Day

Old Twelfth Night (UK)

Operation Desert Storm Day

Patrice Lumumba (Heroes’ Day; Congo)

Photo Developing Day

Pig Day

Popeye the Sailor Man Day

Possession Day (South Georgia)

Professional Boxer's Day

Straying Toward the Path Day

USS Nautilus Day

World Lichen Sclerosus Awareness Day

World Rich People’s Day (Turkey)

Zinc Day (French Republic)

Zirgu Diena (Day of the Horses; Latvia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bean Day (Fargo, North Dakota)

Hot Buttered Rum Day

Hot Heads Chili Day

National Bootlegger’s Day

National Dairy Day (Thailand)

National Rye Whiskey Day

World Pizza Day

World Scotch Pie Day

Nature Celebrations

Rumex Day (Friendly; Korean Birth Flowers)

World Waterfowl Day

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Liberation Day (Poland)

Menorca National Day (Menorca, Spain; 1287)

Possession Day (South Georgia; South Sandwich Islands)

3rd Friday in January

Arbor Day (Florida) [3rd Friday]

Bean Day (North Dakota) [3rd Friday]

Comfort Food Friday [Every Friday]

Five For Friday [Every Friday]

Flashback Friday [Every Friday]

Fondue Friday [3rd Friday of Each Month]

Friday Finds [Every Friday]

Friendly Friday [3rd Friday of Each Month]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Hat Day [3rd Friday]

International Fetish Day (UK) [3rd Friday]

National Corrections Day (Australia) [3rd Friday]

Northarvest Beran Day (North Dakota) [3rd Friday]

Straw Bear Festival begins (Whittlesea, England) [3rd Friday-Sun]

TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) [Every Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning January 17 (2nd Full Week of January)

Amelia Island Restaurant Week (Amelia Island, Florida) [thru 1.26]

Berlin International Green Week (Berlin, Germany) [thru 1.26]

Festivals Beginning January 17, 2025

Bean Day (Fargo, North Dakota)

Chili Quest & Beerfest (Galveston, Texas) [thru 1.18]

Denver Comes Alive (Denver, Colorado) [thru 1.18]

Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (Fort Worth, Texas) [thru 2.8]

Fringe World (Perth, Australia) [thru 2.16]

International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (Chapiteau de Fontvielle, Monte Carlo) [thru 1.26]

Madfredonia Carnival (Madfredonia, Italy) [thru 3.9]

Massafra Carnival (Massafra, Italy) [thru 3.4]

Montana Winter Fair (Lewistown, Montana) [thru 1.19]

Napa Truffle Festival (Napa, California) [thru 1.20]

Punta Gorda Seafood & Music Festival (Punta Gorda, Florida) [thru 1.19]

Rijeka Carnival (Rijeka, Croatia) [thru 3.5]

Scientific Grower Truffle Grower Seminar (Napa, California)

Winter Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival (Carefree, Arizona) [thru 1.19]

Winter Wine Festival (New Castle, New Hampshire) [thru 2.9]

Feast Days

Amelbert (Christian; Blessed)

Anthony the Great (Christian; Saint)

Angelo Paoli (Christian; Blessed)

Black Bart (Muppetism)

Blathmac Mac Cu Brettan (Celtic Book of Days)

Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral Day (Hispanic Catholic Church; Mexico)

Benjamin Franklin (Humanism)

Charles Gore (Church of England)

Feast of Wagy (Ancient Egyptian Day of the Dead)

Felicitas (Old Roman Goddess of Good Luck)

Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch (Christian; Blessed)

Genulf (Christian; Saint)

International No Farting Day (Pastafarian)

Jenaro Sánchez Delgadillo (one of Saints of the Cristero War)

Julian Sabas (Christian; Saint)

Meng-Tseu (Positivist; Saint)

Mildgytha (Christian; Saint)

Nennins (Christian; Saint)

Ogoun’s Day (Pagan)

Old Twelfth Night (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Our Lady of Pontmain (Christian; Saint)

Patras Carnival begins (until Clean Monday; Greece)

Richmir (Christian; Saint)

Shakambharii Jayanti (a.k.a. Cher-Chhera Punni; Chhattisgarh, India)

Speusippus, Elcusippns, Meleusippns (Christian; Martyrs)

Sulpitius the Pious (Christian; Saint)

Sulpicins the Second (Christian; Saint)

Thaipusam (Tamil Nadu, India)

Thingfish Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Uzhavar Thirunal (Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, India)

Secular Saints Days

Muhammed Ali (Sports)

Luis Alverez (Science)

Anne Brontë (Literature)

Jim Carrey (Entertainment)

Eugène Carrière (Art)

Robert Cormier (Literature)

Antonio del Pollaiuolo (Art)

Laurent Delvaux (Art)

Benjamin Franklin (Polymath)

A. B. Frost (Art)

May Gibbs (Art)

T. Alexander Harrison (Art)

Rock Hudson (Entertainment)

James Earl Jones (Entertainment)

Sebastian Junger (Literature)

Compton Mackenzie (Literature)

Georges Pichard (Art)

Antonio Prohías (Art)

William Stafford (Literature)

Pieter Van Bloemen (Art)

Hem Vejakorni (Art)

Alfred Wainwright (Art & Literature)

Betty White (Entertainment)

Paul Young (Music)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Good Luck Day (Festival of Felicitas)

Prime Number Day: 17 [7 of 72]

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [7 of 60]

Premieres

The Adventures of the American Rabbit (Film; 1986)

The Air-Conditioned Nightmare, by Henry Miller (Essays; 1945)

All’s Well (Fleischer Gabby Cartoon; 1941)

Billions (TV Series; 2016)

Canoes Who? Or Look Before You Leak (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 16; 1960)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl (Novel; U.S. 1964)

The Cherry Orchard, by Anton Chekov (Play; 1904)

The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier (Novel; 1974)

Choral Hypocrite in G Major, by Erik Satie (Duet for Violin & Piano; 1914)

The Clan of the Cave Bear (Film; 1986)

A Coney Island of the Mind, by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Poems; 1958)

Court and Spark, by Joni Mitchell (Album; 1974)

Drum Boogie, recorded by Gene Krupa (Song; 1941)

Dumb Like a Fox (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1964)

Everyone Says I Love You (Film; 1997)

Fraidy Cat (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1942)

Freejack (Film; 1992)

Frontline (TV News Series; 1983)

Gone with the Wind (Film; 1939)

A Guy Thing (Film; 2003)

Heathcliffe: The Movie (Film; 1986)

Helter Shelter (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1955)

Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear (Animated Film; 1986)

The Idiot, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Novel; 1868)

In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote (True Crime Novel; 1966)

The Inspector-Detector or A Kick in the Plants (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 15; 1960)

Iron Eagle (Film; 1986)

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Film; 2014)

Kickin’ the Conga ‘Round (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1942)

The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Animated TV Series; 1988)

The Nut Job (Film; 2014)

Ride Along (Film; 2014)

Seven Types of Ambiguity, by William Empson (Literary Criticism; 1930)

Snow Business (WB LT Cartoon; 1953)

Somewhere in Dreamland (Fleischer Color Classics Cartoon; 1936)

Sounds of Silence, by Simon & Garfunkel (Album; 1966)

South of No North, by Charles Bukowski (Poetry; 1973)

Toonerville Trolley (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

A Town Like Alice, by Nevil Shute (Novel; 1950)

Today’s Name Days

Antonius, Beatrix (Austria)

Andon, Anton, Antonia, Dona, Doncho, Donka (Bulgaria)

Antun, Lavoslav, Marijan, Vojmil (Croatia)

Drahoslav (Czech Republic)

Antonius (Denmark)

Anto, Anton, Antu, Hando, Tõnis, Tõnn, Tõnno, Tõnu (Estonia)

Anton, Antto, Anttoni, Toni (Finland)

Roseline (France)

Anton, Rosalind (Germany)

Antonia, Antonios, Antonis (Greece)

Antal, Antónia (Hungary)

Alba, Antonio, Iole (Italy)

Tenis, Timotejs (Latvia)

Beatričė, Dovainis, Leonilė, Vilda (Lithuania)

Anton, Tønnes, Tony (Norway)

Antoni, Jan, Rościsław (Poland)

Antonie (Romania)

Nataša (Slovakia)

Antonio (Spain)

Anton, Tony (Sweden)

Anthony, Antoine, Antoinette, Anton, Antonia, Antonio, Antony, Antwan, Ben, Benita, Benito, Benjamin, Bennie, Benny, Toni, Tony (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 17 of 2025; 348 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of Week 3 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 27 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Ding-Chou), Day 18 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Coptic: 9 Tubah 1741

Hebrew: 17 Teveth 5785

Islamic: 17 Rajab 1446

J Cal: 17 White; Threesday [17 of 30]

Julian: 4 January 2025

Moon: 85%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 17 Moses (1st Month) [Meng-Tseu]

Runic Half Month:Peorth (Womb, Dice Cup) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 28 of 90)

Week: 2nd Full Week of January

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 27 of 30)