Interesting Facts and Stories

[Bootie]

When USS Juneau was sunk off the Solomons in Nov 1942 survivors spent 8 days in the water. Of 697 men only 10 survived the elements & sharks. Among the casualties were the 5 Sullivan brothers.

 

[Bootie]

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) shook hands with President John Adams (b. 1767) AND a young John F. Kennedy (d.1963)

 

[Bootie]

In 1323 Sir Roger Mortimer became one of the few men to escape from the Tower of London. He drugged the Constable and made for France.

 

[Bootie]

US President Woodrow Wilson kept sheep at the White House during WW1 to keep the lawn neat and free up gardeners for military service.

 

[Bootie]

Flobar A-Bomb Detergent..... trading standards might have something to say.

 

[Bootie]

While in office UK Prime Minister Gladstone used to roam the streets at night trying to 'save' prostitutes.

 

[Rico]

"save"?

 

[Bootie]

LOL.. thats what I thought. He looks like a right hard ass too.

 

[Rico]

He looks more like he would sell them into slavery... to build some character and cure them of their wicked ways.
(always wonder what kink he indulged in when at home)

 

[Bootie]

Longest siege in history was at Candia, now Heraklion, Crete. The Ottomans finally captured it from the Venetians in 1669, after 21 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Candia

 

[Bootie]

Shortest war in history was the Anglo-Zanzibar war in 1896. Started at 9.02am and ended 9.40am. 1 British soldier injured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Zanzibar_War

 

[Bootie]

After being defeated in battle Roman Emperor Valerian was used as a foot stool, then skinned alive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_(emperor)

 

[Bootie]

The British respected George Washington, once their enemy, so much that on his death the Royal Navy ships flew their ensigns at half mast

 

[Bootie]

Important morning fact: Stan getz, Steve McQueen, Gene Kelly, Alfred Hitchcock and HG Wells were all buried at sea"

 

[Bootie]

In 1831 the average UK adult drank 1.42 gallons of spirits a year, in the USA it was 5.9 gallons! (Today's UK figure is just over 0.5gallon)

 

[Bootie]

At the 1st atom bomb test in 1945 there was concern that the explosion might start a runaway chain-reaction & ignite the earth's atmosphere

 

[Bootie]

US Admiral Halsey after Japanese surrender in WW2: "War is over. If any Japanese aircraft appear...shoot them down in a friendly way"

 

[Bootie]

In around 1080 the Chinese philosopher, scientist and statesman Shen Kuo correctly hypothesised about the origin of fossils.

 

[Bootie]

Commander of UK's anti invasion force in 1940 later said he'd "had every intention" of using "mustard gas on the beaches" had Nazis landed

 

[Bootie]

Jeannette Rankin was the first woman in the US Congress & the only member of Congress to vote against war with Japan after Pearl Harbor.