RedState's Water Cooler - November 12, 2018 - Open Thread: A Salute to our Military and to Our Canine Friends Who've Served

Happy Veteran’s Day!

To all who have served our great nation, we say thank you today and every day.

And a salute to our canine friends who have served!

Lucca’s Story:

And here is the story of one brave dog in particular, an explosives locator, named Lucca, who led over 400 patrols in Afghanistan. There were no human casualties on any of her missions. In March 2012, she located an IED and a secondary device detonated and Lucca lost her front leg. Upon her retirement, she was awarded the Dickin Medal, the first Marine Corps dog to receive this honor.

A tribute to our brave, loyal and wonderful military dogs!

Military Trivia:

November 11th is Veteran’s Day in America, Remembrance Day in the UK, and Armistice Day in other countries.

Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth. It was originally called “Armistice Day” to commemorate the armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m.—on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

31 out of 45 US Presidents have served in the military. Theodore Roosevelt received the medal of honor. James Buchanan is the only one who never became an officer.

In 1947, then-Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in his Bell X-1 rocket-powered aircraft. This feat marked a new era of aeronautics in America.

Ever since Vietnam, Marine Amtrac crews will not eat apricots which are considered bad luck.

Walt Disney created a special logo for the Coast Guard’s Corsair Fleet during World War II, featuring Donald Duck.

Donald Duck photo via US Coast Guard.

In 1967, the Coast Guard icebreaker Eastwind became the first cutter to ever sail around Antarctica.

The Marine Corps mascot is an English bulldog named Chesty. The mascot is named after Marine Lt. Gen. Louis B. “Chesty” Puller, the only Marine to earn five Navy Crosses.

While in uniform, marines are not authorized to put their hands in their pockets.

The Legend of Bill the Goat

“Bill the Goat has been the Naval Academy mascot since the early 1900s. Legend has it that a Navy ship once kept a goat as a pet, but on the way back to port the goat died. Two ensigns were entrusted to have the goat stuffed, but were distracted by a Naval Academy football game. One of the ensigns allegedly dressed up in the goatskin and pranced around at halftime. The crowd loved it, and the Navy won the game.”

The Air Force has a tradition to welcome new commanders with a “roof stomp“. A group of airmen go to the commanders home and bang on the commander’s roof, windows and doors. The commander then opens the door to welcome in the group for refreshments. In recent years, some airmen have modified the tradition to a “porch stomp.”

Another Air Force tradition, the Mustache March, takes place in March. Airmen grow mustaches to honor Air Force legend and triple ace Brig. Gen. Robin Olds.

The Marines have won four out of five Warrior Games competitions. They first lost to the Army in 2014.

The Army was tasked with mapping America. The scope of this exploration and mapping task included the Lewis and Clark expedition. Army officers were some of the first American citizens to see Pike’s Peak and the Grand Canyon.

While many animals have served as mascots aboard Coast Guard vessels, Sinbad, a dog, is one of the service’s most famous. Sinbad served on board the cutter Campbell during World War II, keeping troops company during their voyages.