Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Rand Paul's 2024 Festivus Report. Sure DOGE is paying attention.

- Did Biden's DoJ consult with the victims families before issuing his commutation of sentences?

- Reminder Ralph Houk was a badass. The Major passed away in 2010.

- Interesting: first demonstration of quantum teleportation over busy Internet wires. Last minute Christmas shopping in the future may be very very different.

The Battle of the Bulge

This week marks the 75th anniversary of what has become known as The Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945).

Old AF Sarge has a nice remembrance of the Battle and the costs paid.

Mental Floss has 10 things you might not know about the Battle of the Bulge (some good stuff including how the Battle got its name and perhaps the one American officer who saw the attack coming).

There has been some notice of the anniversary in the news. But honestly not much.

Sadly many 35-years old and younger may have only heard of the battle because it was featured in HBO's Band of Brothers (great show).

Personally I'm fascinated by the men who fought the battle. Men like Baseball Hall of Famer Warren Spahn or writer Kurt Vonnegut who was taken prisoner during the battle (and later survived the bombing of Dresden). People like actor Jack Warden. Or baseball manager Ralph Houk who was nicknamed the Major for good reason (Houk's exploits during the war would make an excellent movie).

Sadly most of these heroes have passed and for too many their memories and sacrifices are being forgotten. All the more reason for people to do their small part in keeping anniversaries like these in our thoughts and deeds so that the younger generations can understand the price paid by those who came before them.

Ralph Houk - The Major

I first became aware of Ralph Houk when he became manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1981. I read somewhere that his nickname was "the Major" but I had no idea why.

Turns out that it wasn't so much a nickname as a nod of respect to Houk's military career. Houk had entered WWII as a private but by the end of the war because of his heroics and leadership he had been promoted all the way up to Major. "He was at the Battle of the Bulge and the Remagen crossing. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Silver Star and Purple Heart."

Right or wrong I now can't help but think of Ralph Houk in comparison to another American hero - Dick Winters from Band of Brothers fame. Read the details of Houk's WWII service and deeds and tell me his story wouldn't also make a fascinating mini-series.

Where do we find such men as Dick Winters and Ralph Houk?

Ralph Houk - Badass

Ralph Houk passed away today - in his honor below is a post I made about him a while back.

File this under you learn something new every day. I knew Ralph Houk as the respected baseball manager who took the reins of the Boston Red Sox after his best years as a manager had been used up by the New York Yankees. I knew his nickname was "The Major" but I never knew the nickname was a literal moniker.

It turns out that Ralph Houk was every bit the badass in World War II that Dick Winters of Band of Brothers fame was. Like Winters - Houk entered battle as a Lieutenant and finished the war as a Major from the result of battlefield promotions. Both fought in the Battle of the Bulge and like Winters - Houk was wounded in the calf but returned immediately to combat.

Houk received the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, four campaign stars and clusters during his service in Europe. "He was an extremely popular platoon commander," Fiore explained. "His baseball training helped."

Ralph Houk - leadership through being a quiet badass. My hat's off to you sir. Read the link provided but keep in mind that much seems to be left out of the story. Fighting in the Battle of the Bulge? Three days alone behind enemy lines and coming back with a bullet hole in your helmet? Capturing 9 Germans during a patrol? There seems to be much more here behind the story but badass leaders like Houk wouldn't brag.

RIP Major

Ralph Houk - Badass

Ralph Houk passed away today - in his honor below is a post I made about him a while back.

File this under you learn something new every day. I knew Ralph Houk as the respected baseball manager who took the reins of the Boston Red Sox after his best years as a manager had been used up by the New York Yankees. I knew his nickname was "The Major" but I never knew the nickname was a literal moniker.

It turns out that Ralph Houk was every bit the badass in World War II that Dick Winters of Band of Brothers fame was. Like Winters - Houk entered battle as a Lieutenant and finished the war as a Major from the result of battlefield promotions. Both fought in the Battle of the Bulge and like Winters - Houk was wounded in the calf but returned immediately to combat.

Houk received the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, four campaign stars and clusters during his service in Europe. "He was an extremely popular platoon commander," Fiore explained. "His baseball training helped."

Ralph Houk - leadership through being a quiet badass. My hat's off to you sir. Read the link provided but keep in mind that much seems to be left out of the story. Fighting in the Battle of the Bulge? Three days alone behind enemy lines and coming back with a bullet hole in your helmet? Capturing 9 Germans during a patrol? There seems to be much more here behind the story but badass leaders like Houk wouldn't brag.

RIP Major