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.
I was stationed at Marine Barracks, Rodman Naval Base, Canal Zone back in the late 1960s. Our barracks provided transit guards for any ships from China, Cuba, and the Warsaw Pact nations; so I've made many trips through the canal as an transit guard. Saw people defect by just running across the deck and jumping to the canal locks, it happened from time to time. Also, the absolute WORST ships to stand guard on were the Cuban ships. Dirty, rusty, ill-maintained, and they invariably carried their only cash crop, sugar cane in the hold....which after a few days smelled like the bottom of a spittoon. East German ships were just about the best of the lot. Ah, the good old days.
Panama Canal. I was aboard that battleship. Sea Dragon
ReplyDeleteI was stationed at Marine Barracks, Rodman Naval Base, Canal Zone back in the late 1960s. Our barracks provided transit guards for any ships from China, Cuba, and the Warsaw Pact nations; so I've made many trips through the canal as an transit guard. Saw people defect by just running across the deck and jumping to the canal locks, it happened from time to time. Also, the absolute WORST ships to stand guard on were the Cuban ships. Dirty, rusty, ill-maintained, and they invariably carried their only cash crop, sugar cane in the hold....which after a few days smelled like the bottom of a spittoon. East German ships were just about the best of the lot. Ah, the good old days.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I had no idea we did that.
DeleteThat's not a battleship. It looks like a Type 052D/Luyang III-class destroyer. Anon above must have been in the Chinese navy.
ReplyDeleteNo, we're talking about the boat in front
DeleteUSS Iowa!
ReplyDeleteIf the tail number isn't a giveaway the bow is
DeleteUSS IOWA -- Tail Number 61
ReplyDeletehttps://www.dotphoto.com/viewalbum.asp?AID=6537323&IID=259712351
I read sometime ago that the Iowa had about 6" clearance either side in the locks.
ReplyDelete