Fullbore Friday is about a lot of things, in my mind at least; but mostly it is about examples from history about ordinary Sailors doing extraordinary things – and extraordinary Sailors changing history. Examples that every professional should examine for what they can tell us today.
History is so critical to the future. It isn’t a formula or a crystal ball – but it does show us patterns and gives up a sense of the rhythm and well-worn paths that always show up in the ventures of men.
When we neglect history, especially the artifacts – irreplaceable artifacts – of our past – it breaks my heart. Not only for the stories they carry with them, but the testimony they give to the reasons of their birth and the efforts of the people who built and used them. Standing in their presence gives us a greater understanding of their place and context – well beyond simple 2D pictures or words.
As anyone who has had the displeasure of traveling or going on TAD with me – I am the Adult-ADD poster child. If you give me a day, I will travel 4 hours one way to go to a town for 1 hour to see something and travel 4 hours back. I will leave the beaten path to hike up a mountain to find a plaque commemorating some obscure event I read about as a kid. I will walk into that basement bar because it looks interesting. I don’t care what others think – I am not going to spend a night playing Hearts and drinking Miller Light when there is a train station only a 30 minute walk away and we don’t have to report until 1000 the next AM.
Anyway, on the NE coast of France I found the only Krupp K5 left in Europe,Leopold's brother, at Batterie Todt in France. That is where I wound up one beautiful day.
Here she is.
Read his background here in English or German, or here in French. He needs some love real bad – or soon he will be lost to weather and time.
Oh, and while I was there I saw this example on why German AAA was hard to move around quickly – and something I KNOW John wishes he could have.
Often, rail-guns and the Western Wall are forgotten - they shouldn't be. A lot of people died either building, fighting, destroying or being on the receiving end of them.
As an extra bonus in honor of John I ask the question (item found at the same location as above):
WHATZIS?
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