Trivia

[galvo]

Well, cassandra I could give you the Suriname River, but you would not be satisfied, would you? It only flows for some 480 ks. And you wouldn't accept the Corantijan River either would you?  Even though it flows over 700 ks.

So I shall give you the Marowijne  flowing over 750 ks north as a disputed border between French Guiana and Suriname to empty into the Atlantic at Point Galibi, Suriname

[cassandra]

Wow Galvo I am impressed, over to you now

[galvo]

Thanks, cassandra, I am indeed impressive!

Name the most decorated US serviceman in WW1 and WW11. (No not the same bloke. I need two names).

[cariad]

Do generals count? Otherwise, I doubt I could name any soldier from those eras, decorated or not.

Oh, wait, George Bush Senior served in WWII as a paratrooper. I thought I heard he was at the invasion of Normandy?

[galvo]

Cariad, don't worry about Generals; we're talking about real fighting men. George Bush snr. is not the answer. He was a Naval Aviator and saw service in the Pacific theatre, where he was shot down. He ended the war with a Distinguished Flying Cross, 3 Air Medals, and a Presidential Unit citation.

A hint and a very generous hint at that. Both mens exploits were made into feature films. The First WW bloke was played by Gary Cooper and the Second WW bloke by Audie Murphy.

[Gerald Lively]

Sgt York and Audie Murphy. 

[cariad]

The man played himself? I thought I had heard that name as a movie title. Was he the guy who lost parts of both arms and wound up with an Oscar?

Great question, galvo, my friend!

[Gerald Lively]

Audie Leon Murphy (June 20, 1924 – May 28, 1971) was a highly decorated and famous soldier. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue ("Most Decorated Soldier"/cover photo), he became one the most famous soldiers of World War II and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war. After the war he became a celebrated movie star for over two decades, appearing in 44 films.[2] He later had some success as a country music composer.

During twenty-seven months in action in the European Theatre.[3] he received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest award for valor, along with 32 additional U.S. and foreign awards (medals, ribbons, citations, badges...)[3][4] including five awards from France and one from Belgium.[1][5]

Murphy's successful movie career included To Hell and Back (1955), based on his book of the same title (1949).[3][6] He died in a plane crash in 1971 and was interred, with full military honors, in Arlington National Cemetery.

[galvo]

Well done, Gerald. Over to you.

Thank you, cariad. See if you can dig up both movies. I absolutely love Sgt York, particularly Walter Brennan as the the pastor , spiritedly leading the backwoods (not backwards) choir singing old time hymns. You can find good exerpts on youtube. I haven't seen To Hell and Back for yonks. I remember thinking that it would have to be regarded as fantasy, if it would not based on fact. Look up both York and Murphy on Wikipedia; they are worth reading about.

The other bloke you were thinking of is  'Harold John Russell (January 14, 1914 - January 29, 2002) was a Canadian-American World War II veteran who became one of only two non-professional actors to win an Academy Award for acting. Harold Russell was born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. While an Army instructor, and training with the U.S. 13th Airborne Division stateside in 1944, a defective fuse detonated an explosive he was handling while making a training film. As a result, he lost both hands and was given two hooks to serve as hands. After his recovery, and while attending Boston University as a full-time student, an Army film called Diary of a Sergeant about rehabilitating war veterans was made featuring Russell. In 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him as Chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped which worked to educate employers about he capabilities of disabled people. '

Enough from me. Hit us Gerald.

[cariad]

I will do that, galvo. They sound like great films.

And thanks so much for finding that other soldier's name and info for me. I read a little fluff piece about him once and never got him out of my mind.

Let's hear what you've got, Gerald!

[Gerald Lively]

I knew the answer to the Audie Murphy question, but I broke the rule by copying Wiki.

What, in US history, is Matsu and Quemoy?

[Gerald Lively]

Matsu and Quemoy.

Large type hint:

1958,59,60.  We almost went to nuclear war with China.  I participated in the classified portions of this issue.

[CebuShan]

Just a guess: Are they islands?

[Gerald Lively]

Yes, they are islands.

You have my permission to look it up  (1958-69)

The ball is now in your court.

[galvo]

Gerald,
The following is straight from Wiki. But I, too, remember the goings-on some half-a- century ago (OMG!!!!!) as I was also involved in the military arena at that time.

"The phrase "Quemoy and Matsu" became part of U.S. political language in the 1960 U.S. presidential election. During the debates, both candidates, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy, pledged to use U.S. forces if necessary to protect the Republic of China from invasion by the People's Republic of China, the mainland, which the U.S. did not at that time recognize as a legitimate government. But the two candidates had different opinions about whether to use U.S. forces to protect the ROC's forward positions, Quemoy and Matsu, as well. In fact, Senator Kennedy stated that these islands - just a few miles off the coast of China and more than a hundred miles from Taiwan - were strategically indefensible and were not essential to the defense of Taiwan. On the contrary, Vice President Nixon maintained that, since Quemoy and Matsu were in the "area of freedom," they should not be surrendered to the Communists as a matter of "principle"."

[CebuShan]

There were at least 2 Saints who were named Valentine. Which Pope established the feast day of February 14th and in what year? BTW: It was removed from the Catholic calendar of Feast days in 1969.

[galvo]

That would have been my old mate Pope Gelasius in 496. He was the third,and so far, the last Bishop of Rome of African origin.

[CebuShan]

Exactly, Galvo! You're up! Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

[galvo]

And a very Happy Valentine's Day to you, CebuShan and to all the gang.

Tell me why the following fellows didn't have a happy Valentine's Day: Peter Gusenberg, Frank Gusenberg, Albert Kachellek, Adam Heyer, Reinhart Schwimmer, Albert Weinshank, and John May.

[CebuShan]

Great question, Galvo! I'll  let someone else have a chance.

[Gerald Lively]

They lost the Super Bowl?  Or they were the Dudes who were gunned down in the garage on Valentines Day.  Heck, I don't know.

gl

[galvo]

Gerald, they were indeed the gunned-down dudes. OTU!

[Gerald Lively]

Who and where was the first shot of the Civil War?

[galvo]

The First Shot of the Civil War was fired on January 9, 1861, when George Edward Haynesworth, a cadet at The Citadel, fired a handgun at the Star of the West , which was attempting to reinforce Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. As Captain John McGowan reported, Confederate troops from Morris Island and Fort Moultrie fired 17 shots at the Star of the West, forcing it to withdraw and return to New York. President Buchanan then "reverted to a policy of inactivity that continued until he left office." Cadet Haynsworth was in the last Civil War battle east of the Mississippi and claimed to have also fired the last shot in the war. The Star of the West was later captured by the Confederates. The Citadel has a Star of the West Monument and scholarship dedicated to the cadets that fired on the ship.

[Gerald Lively]

Amazing and correct.  Ball is in your court.

gl