¡Temporada de Murciélagos!
Qué gran idea ha tenido Warner al unir a los personajes de dos de sus franquicias más rentables en una serie de tebeos. El Universo DC… Read More
“Happiness,” Elmer philosophized in late March, “is just a mental adjustment to the surrounding conditions and circumstances.” While more and more of his friends and… Read More
“Japan has had a taste of bombing, too – only a taste.”
Grandpa didn’t say anything more about the Doolittle Raid, in which sixteen B-25s pulled off one of the m… Read More
Lt. Edward “Butch” O’Hare was one of the early heroes of World War II. On February 20th, 1942, as a formation of nine Japanese Mitsubishi G4M Betty bombers approached the… Read More
Note: although the Battle of Coral Sea occurred in May, the shorter Midway-only newsreel on YouTube has an annoying watermark. One of my clearest memories as a child of my grandfather is f… Read More
Hi folks,Sorry for being tardy and not posting for a few days. I usually schedule all my posts well in advance, and I left this week free so that I could blog from the road. But if past expe… Read More
Cillian Murphy is an Irish actor who has become a household name due to being the star of acclaimed show, Peaky Blinders. Born and raised in County Cork, his father Brendan worked for the Ir… Read More
Life is full of transitions, transformations, and comings of age. During the early 1940s, as young men and women felt themselves rushing headlong into the responsibilities demanded by wartim… Read More
On October 31st, 1942, the Chew accompanied a small convey out of Honolulu and escorted it East. Eleven days later, the ship reached its destination: San Francisco. It was the first time Elm… Read More
According to Wikipedia, Big Crosby’s “White Christmas” is the best-selling single of all-time, with over 50 million records sold across the world. It resonated with Ameri… Read More
One of the more mysterious characters we’ve read about over the first two years of Elmer’s correspondence is his old flame, Pat. I had a great deal of difficulty locating her &nd… Read More
Portions of Tablet V of the Epic of Gilgamesh. This cuneiform writing depicts Gilgamesh and Enkidu meeting Humbaba, guardian of the Cedar Forest. The tablet dates to the Old Babylonian Perio… Read More
Elmer had another surprise in store for his family.
As the United States dove headlong into the biggest war in human history, its Navy began to grow dramatically in size. Despite the loss… Read More
Elmer did not write his parents another letter until June 18th. He did not have to: at 2:15 PM on May 11th, Grandpa arrived at Saint Louis Union Station. His parents were waiting.
After s… Read More
Elmer quickly found himself busy once classes started on July 6th. “Same routine,” he wrote two weeks later. “Exercise, chow, classes, chow, exercise, classes, study, cho… Read More
When Elmer arrived back in New Orleans after his Thanksgiving leave, he still had several weeks ahead of him in Louisiana before he would be able to join his new boat. But now work, training… Read More
“It’s a wonder he didn’t shoot his foot off.”
That’s my dad, Steve, commenting on one of the non-Pearl Harbor-related stories my grandpa liked to tell about… Read More
Despite being able to spend Thanksgiving at home with his family, Elmer’s holiday was overshadowed by developments in his love life. He and Rose had their first fight.
Both parte… Read More
Before the Mink arrived at Milne Bay on March 9, 1944, Americans, Australians, and many Papuans had been fighting the Japanese on New Guinea for over two years. Yet the counter-offensive was… Read More
“It’s been a long voyage . . .in fact, the longest I’ve ever made. And the sight of land will be a pleasure for us all.”
The long voyage across the Pacific took… Read More
Today’s the big day: Grandpa would have turned 100 years old this morning.
Oddly enough, after writing some 40,000 words about my grandpa thus far for this blog, I’m not sure… Read More
On April 1st the Mink got under way with the U.S.S. San Pedro and the rest of its convoy and sailed toward Seeadler Harbor in the Admiralty Islands. The harbor was located on the north side… Read More
Rose’s letter from May 15, 1944 wasn’t the first one she wrote, but it is the first one we have and was probably the first one he kept, for reasons that will soon become apparent… Read More
The Mink would spend the next several months in Seeadler Harbor. Elmer discussed his ship’s role in our interview:
The Admiralty Islands, it had a wonderful gulf or a bay in there… Read More
The whole watched on June 6th, 1944 as over 150,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy. It was the largest amphibious invasion in history, and the fate of the planet would be de… Read More
Today is Memorial Day, and it is an even more somber holiday than usual: instead of attending backyard barbecues and opening swimming pools, many Americans continue to reel from the COVID-19… Read More
The Mink dropped anchor in Biak’s Mokmer Harbor on September 2 and discharged diesel fuel there until the 5th. At some point during that time Elmer left the ship and went ashore. It ha… Read More
Birthday Morning Routine – Breakfast in BedSubscribe for more videos!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7tt9JJDYEx-oJZk_3qZYoA~~~~~~~~~~~Follow me at:Twitter: https://twitter.com/HZHTub… Read More
Now that my classes are winding down I’m starting to work on the Grandpa’s Letters project again. But since I’m sure how much longer I’m going to have unfettered acce… Read More
On December 27, Elmer sent his parents his latest – and last – Christmas menu from the Mink’s official holiday dinner. It contained the usual fare: roast turkey, candied sw… Read More
The Mink remained in San Pedro Bay throughout November, where it continued to refuel ships as part of the 77.7.2 Task Force. On the 9th it replenished its own cargo with 277,788 gallons of d… Read More
It is the day before Christmas and all through the ship not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. (P.S. We don’t have any mice.)Elmer Luckett to his Parents, 24 December 1944
De… Read More
No one knew with certainty when the war was going to end, but most observers believed that 1945 was going to be the year when, at minimum, Germany surrendered. It was just a matter of time… Read More
“Thanks for the Memory” (1938) was one of the most iconic breakup songs of the WWII generation . . . it even won the Oscar for “Best Original Song”If Elmer’s… Read More
V-E Day did not bring the war to an end for the Allies in the Pacific Theater. But Germany’s surrender brought a sense of relief and joy, as well as a wave of sadness and mourning for… Read More
A month after V-E Day, it was business as usual in the Pacific. The work to defeat Japan continued unabated, isolated from the celebrations and culminations unfolding a continent away in Eur… Read More
In the last weeks of the war, Elmer and the Mink spent their days doing what they had been doing for the past fifteen months: slaking the American Navy’s seemingly endless thirst for f… Read More
“Are we doomed to it, Lord, chained to the pendulum of our own mad clockwork, helpless to halt its swing? This time, it will swing us clean to oblivion.”Walter M. Miller, Jr… Read More
Even though Billie Joe Armstrong wrote this song about losing his father at the age of 10, the song has been reinterpreted in a variety of ways, including within its own music video. After… Read More
I recently had the honor and privilege of talking about Grandpa’s Letters with Dr. Samantha Cutrara on her Imagining a New We video series. During the show we chatted about Veteran&rsq… Read More
Looking for a cute DIY Christmas ornament or DIY gift idea that they will love this holiday season? You gotta make this Rudolph wood slice ornament! Check out the full tutorial (including a… Read More
Legislative Updates
Alaska: The Alaska Legislature is considering an unusually large number of proposals to change the state’s election system. Eight different ideas, two from Gov. Mi… Read More
Hi folks,First off, thank you to everyone who has reached out to me here, on Facebook, on Twitter, and offline to express their well wishes with respect to my post on Saturday about pursuing… Read More
Toilet Paper Roll Monsters are SO easy and fun to make. Keep the kids engaged for hours making their unique monster creations. It’s a perfect craft activity for kids of ALL ages!… Read More
Slime is all the rage these days so our Orange Glitter Fall Slime is just the ticket for all the kiddos in your home. It is super easy and safe for even the smallest hands.
Kids lov… Read More
After weeks of waiting, the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is on the move in the Senate, as Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) took Action on the Bill Nov. 15th.
The… Read More
This Paper Plate Pilgrim Craft is the perfect opportunity to talk to your children about the history of our country. Travel back in time with this super fun pilgrim Thanksgiving craft!… Read More
This adorable, super easy Valentine’s Day Frame is great for all ages. It is the perfect gift for your kids to make to show their special people how much they love them.
I&rsquo… Read More
I have been developing Payroll systems since the late 1960s, so this was interesting.
A Payroll system adopted by the State Department, last year, is causing Diplomats Overseas, including… Read More
Here’s how to make fluffy slime with only 4 ingredients. It’s the fluffiest, softest, and stretchiest slime and is ready in only 5 minutes. Get ready to entertain your… Read More
Do the ends justify the means with Donald Trump? That’s a pretty general question, so let’s tighten it up a bit. I was watching a BBC program called Hard Talk yesterday. The h… Read More
At SFO last Wednesday, the ticketing line for Philippine Airlines stretched away from the counter, around the corner, and past the entrance doors. I rolled my luggage to the end of the queue… Read More
When explaining this strange, too-brief-to-be-pleasure and too-long-to-be-business trip across the world to the Philippines, I tend to use the word “research” a lot. It’s p… Read More
More Amazon Deals [the-post-grid id=”1132143″ title=”amazon”] MORE AMAZON DEALS
The post Elmer’s Glow In The Dark Glue Variety Pack only $9.99 (reg $19.99) + FR… Read More
This Paper Bag Turkey Craft is a fun Thanksgiving craft the kids will love making! Bright feathers, cute shapes, and silly eyes make for an irresistibly fun project!
When you have kid… Read More
On the edge of America’s Heartland, South Dakota is home to many world-famous and lesser-known attractions worth seeing. From the iconic Mount Rushmore to natural wonders like the Wind… Read More
The first privately-run overnight sleeper train service in Europe will launch tonight, with European Sleeper operating a Brussels to Berlin line that will stop in Amsterdam. The idea behind… Read More
Sea Life Sensory Bottles are the perfect activity for sensory-seeking kids of all ages. Get ready to dive deep into an ocean of creativity and imagination as we explore the calming effe… Read More
Take one of kids’ favorite activities to a whole new level by making glow in the dark slime! This homemade goo is just as soft and fun to play with – and when the lights go out… Read More
The article discusses the history and inspiration behind Sisqo's hit song "Thong Song." It reveals that the song was originally intended for Michael Jackson and features re-recorded strings… Read More