And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Friday, July 2, 2021
“Hot and weary after fighting on Saipan, Marine PFC T. E. Underwood of St. Petersburg, Fla., takes a long, cool drink of water from his canteen. July, 1944.”
I looked him up... There was some question about who that really is but it looks like this caption was correct on the guy. https://www.historynet.com/military-history-january-2014-letters-from-readers.htm
>>First is a headstone in St. Petersburg, Fla., bearing the name Thomas E. Underwood, identified as a corporal in the 4th Marine Division who served in World War II and was killed on March 4, 1945, on Iwo Jima.<<
Sorry dudes... but you got it totally wrong. He had a Marine buddy named Underwood but the man in the famous photo is Angelo Klonis, of Greek origin. He was a Santa Fe local for many years and opened a still functioning tavern downtown called "Evangelo's." His son Nick is running it these days. Read all about it: http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0510/swanson.html
NO it does not. Clean helps a lot. We used the flax "Desert Water Bags" which would make our water pleasantly cool in triple digit temps at 29 Palms. Can't seem to find them any more. They were nearly ubiquitous in the western US in the 50's-70's Boat Guy
Never heard of the Desert Water Bags but in the field in the mid 70's we had access to Water Buffalo's that were a large canvas bag suspended in a steel tripod with several faucets around the bottom. The water was fairly cool and we filled our canteens from it.
Having traveled there many years ago, I can only imagine just how hot he must have been in his uniform. The tasseled object under his left arm makes me wonder if that is part of a war trophy. My late father, stationed across the water in Tinian, said he stripped to the waist due the heat and got a very bad sunburn (as did I decades later) and was threatened with court martial for 'destroying government property.
Those water bags were common in the Southwest in the early 60's. Lived in Phoenix then. Most vehicles had them hanging in front of the radiator. I think this was done to cool the air hitting the radiator? They were always damp to the touch. No idea if it helped cool the engine.
He was no snowflake!
ReplyDeleteA literal hell on earth...
ReplyDeleteMinor nit--there is NOTHING cool on Saipan in July. Looks like it's been awhile since he even had a chance to shave.
ReplyDeleteExactly what I thought, it was wet, but it certainly wasn't cool.
DeleteI looked him up...
ReplyDeleteThere was some question about who that really is but it looks like this caption was correct on the guy.
https://www.historynet.com/military-history-january-2014-letters-from-readers.htm
>>First is a headstone in St. Petersburg, Fla., bearing the name Thomas E. Underwood, identified as a corporal in the 4th Marine Division who served in World War II and was killed on March 4, 1945, on Iwo Jima.<<
Sorry dudes... but you got it totally wrong. He had a Marine buddy named Underwood but the man in the famous photo is Angelo Klonis, of Greek origin. He was a Santa Fe local for many years and opened a still functioning tavern downtown called "Evangelo's." His son Nick is running it these days. Read all about it: http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0510/swanson.html
ReplyDeleteI doubt that canteen water was very cool. I lived on canteen water in another part of my life. But when you're hot and thirsty it doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteNO it does not. Clean helps a lot.
DeleteWe used the flax "Desert Water Bags" which would make our water pleasantly cool in triple digit temps at 29 Palms. Can't seem to find them any more. They were nearly ubiquitous in the western US in the 50's-70's
Boat Guy
Never heard of the Desert Water Bags but in the field in the mid 70's we had access to Water Buffalo's that were a large canvas bag suspended in a steel tripod with several faucets around the bottom. The water was fairly cool and we filled our canteens from it.
DeleteI was wondering what happened to the Desert Water Bags no to long ago. I clearly remember them hanging on fenders in Nevada in the 60s.
DeleteHaving traveled there many years ago, I can only imagine just how hot he must have been in his uniform. The tasseled object under his left arm makes me wonder if that is part of a war trophy. My late father, stationed across the water in Tinian, said he stripped to the waist due the heat and got a very bad sunburn (as did I decades later) and was threatened with court martial for 'destroying government property.
ReplyDeleteThe felt-liners inside those canteen holders were supposed to have a cooling effect if they were wetted!
ReplyDeleteThose water bags were common in the Southwest in the early 60's. Lived in Phoenix then. Most vehicles had them hanging in front of the radiator. I think this was done to cool the air hitting the radiator? They were always damp to the touch. No idea if it helped cool the engine.
ReplyDelete