The Odd And Unusual In The Military

Okay since nobody's gone anywhere with this for several days, here's a big hint:

Civil War admirals, Rear Admiral David Porter's biological father, and Admiral David Farragutt's adoptive father, was Captain David Porter of the War of 1812 who was the commanding officer that placed the Marine in command of the prize crew.

I'm betting Doody gets this now.
 
The British Whaler Greenwich. Captured by Porter while in command of Essex. Porter placed Lieutenant John Marshall Gamble USMC in command of Greenwich.

Gamble while in command also captured the 14 gun British Vessel Seringpatam.

Porter later commanded Greenwich after the Essex was taken by the British.
 
Good job, 03! I was hoping you might be reading these.

Here's another Marine Corps history question for you. Let's see if this one isn't too easy for you. I'll make it worth 200 milbucks.

One Marine Corps hero started out WWII with the unlikely job of a bugler. As the Marines call them, a "music". He wanted very much to be a machinegunner but the Corps was short on buglers so a bugler he stayed despite heroic actions on Guadalcanal, and Saipan manning a machinegun. Finally the Corps relented and he was made a sergeant in charge of a machinegun squad in time for Iwo Jima. His men under fire from Japanese gun emplacements, "Fighting Field Music" as he was called by then charged the Japanese with just a .45 and some grenades. He went back to his lines time and time again for more grenades until the gun emplacements fell silent. As he was making his way back to his lines a Japanese grenade took his life and made his Medal of Honor posthumous. Many years later a famous ship would be named in his honor. For the 200 milbucks name the Marine and the ship.
 
Oh hey! I know this one!

Sgt. Darrell Cole - USS Cole
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I guess that one was a bit easy judging from the fast answer, still, excellent work guys. Looks like DlanoeG could use the milbucks too.

Okay here's a harder one.

The Monitor and the Merrimack are often thought of as the birth of ironclad warships. Europeans may argue that the Gloire or the Warrior were the first. For 200 milbucks name the tiny nation that actually was the first and when.
 
8 minutes! Excellent work, 03! My hat's off to you. That one wasn't that easy. You've about pulled equal to Doody for taking my money. :lol:

Okay here's a hard one for you.

To date, no woman has yet been awarded the Medal of Honor. However, in WWII one woman was awarded America's second highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). For 250 milbucks who was she and what did she do?
 
Virginia Hall the " Limping Lady of the OSS"

She infiltrated France and worked with the Resistance. Sending vital intelligence back to Britian. After D -Day when communications were cut. She proved invaluable because of her knowledge of Morse Code.
 
Okay, you've passed Doody. I smell a challenge coming up.

Good job! "Dixie" Hall was also awarded by King George VI the MBE. Her exploits were so daring and so valuable that the Gestapo issued a special directive just for her. "The woman who limps is one of the most dangerous Allied agents in France". She was the first woman and the first civilian awarded the DSC - though it could be argued that membership in the OSS (the forerunner of the CIA) made her a combatent and not a civilian.

Continuing the thread of civilians awarded high military awards, very few civilians have ever won the Victoria Cross (VC). One British spy who did so saved a great many lives in his efforts. Who was he and what did he do? The correct answer will get you 200 milbucks.
 
Thomas Henry Kavanagh. Irish Postal Worker Siege of Lucknow India 1857 during Sepoy Rebellion.

Kavanagh volunteered to leave the city in disguise and contact and guide the relieving force to Lucknow. His mission was successful and the besieged defenders and civilians rescued.
 
Okay, Doody's in your dust now. Congrats! That was far from an easy one. Since you're doing so well this next one will be much harder.

America very nearly suffered a surprise attack decades before Pearl Harbor and long before WWI. That attack, had it occurred, would've devastated the US. Plans were not only fully detailed and drawn up, but exercises and levies of men and equipment were in place. Only that nation's leader's lack of attention (many feel from a physical disability) saved the US from likely destruction. For 200 milbucks name the nation and the leader that would've attacked us. For a 100 milbuck bonus, name the provocation that led to this state of affairs.
 
I'll go with Victoriano Huerta Dictator of Mexico. 1915 Plan de San Diego. Invasion Point Laredo Texas, objective Rio Grande Valley Control. US interventions in Vera Cruz and Tampico on Woodrow Wilsons orders and Wilsons displayed dislike and contempt were the catalysts.

Physical Diability- Huerta was an Alcoholic. Nick Name - El Borachito The little Drunk.
 
A good try, but Mexico couldn't have destroyed the US. The country I'm looking for easily could have. That's a big clue right there. Not that many countries could fill that bill.
 
Okay, since nobody's made any attempts at this over the past several days, here's a clue:

What countries would have been powerful enough around the start of the 20th century to utterly devastate the United States? What ones of those would've thought of doing so? That should narrow the choices considerably.
 
Nope, but you're in the ballpark.

Okay, to see if it's interest or difficulty I'm gonna up the value of a correct answer to this question to 500 milbucks. A correct answer to the second part bonus question is now worth 300 milbucks.

8)
 
Ok, my second guess is Canada :)roll: Would be interesting if this is the right answer) in the Invasion of Canada in 1812 (War of 1812). US forces were far from ready and King George III was beginning to go insane. The British garrisons in Canada were primarily Canadians. British officer Major General Sir Isaac Brock - who repelled the US invasion - died in the same year.
 
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