More on our wildlife
By: Stan Jordan
The below picture of the Snowy Owl was given to us by Jarred Miller, an Ohio State Highway Trooper. This picture was taken on CR 87 and 144.
I had an occasion to see Dr. Sam the other day at the P.C.H. and he was telling me he had seen a Snowy Owl a little south of Van Wert. He was still amazed as to how large they are.
I got a call this morning from Debbie Hayden and she said she has seen the Snowy Owl twice this winter over on Gar Creek Road and the State Line Road.
I am certainly grateful to these people for keeping me appraised of our wildlife. It gives me a great feeling to know that all my readers are wildlife conscious and are interested in conservation and even talking about them. After all, the wildlife was here before the white man came.
I have number of friends who are bow hunters, muzzle loaders, shot guns and rifles. They all stick to the rules and regulations because that is the correct thing to do. I have a couple of friends who are avid coon hunters, now that takes a lot of wanting to.
On our eagle’s nest here in Antwerp, the eagles have been here for over nine years. Since eagles mate when they are about four years old, I figure our pair of bald eagles are at least 14 years old. An average age for an eagle to live is in the 25 year average. There are not many predators for eagles in this area, just automobiles if the eagle don’t fly away quick enough.
See Ya!
The Lobo Tank Busters
By: Stan Jordan
Our P-51’s will do about 400 m.p.h. with a full load of everything and it didn’t take us very long to get into the little country of Luxembourg. This is a good size city, called Echternach, that is a hub for a couple of major highways that lead over into Belgium.
I figured we would run into some of the S.S. Panzure best division, and we weren’t disappointed.
There was dozens of Tiger Tanks all headed west into the city because there was a bridge over the river that hadn’t been destroyed yet. The Americans would wait till the last minute to get all of our troops over the bridge into a little safer country.
Those big Tiger Tanks weigh about 60 tons and they must stay on the road or they will get stuck in the mud and snow. There was a trailer space so far apart that had a number of anti–aircraft guns, along with the fact that each tank carried a machine gun that could be fired at us. But that long line of tanks was a good target.
We swung around to the east and came at that line from the rear. I took the closest tank to the center of the city. I barreled down on him from above and got a good aim at his engine area. I could hear anti–aircraft shells hitting my fuselage.
I fired a rocket and then made a quick bank to the left to get out of there and make room for our next plane. I didn’t see my rocket hit because I was too busy getting out of there, but I looked down and could see the first tank was burning, so I must have hit his engine.
When I made a big circle and came in on their rear, I could see the first four tanks were burning and blocking the highway.
We done a good job on the second pass, I picked out one of their trailers with the multiple guns on it and put a rocket dead center on it. There were pieces of trailer and gun barrels flying in all directions. That Jumbo Rocket really does the job and I was out of the area again.
I started at the back of the line this time and I put two rockets on a tank and it stopped in the center of the road and burst into flames. That road was blocked on each end now.
I counted eleven tanks burning and it had given the infantry time to blow the bridge and it slowed down the German advance.
See ya!
CABIN 21 AT VALLEY FORGE
By: Stan Jordan
This is the last part of March 1781 here at Cabin 21. Things will soon be getting busy. The boys have all gotten three months of back pay. The government just decided that they are paid up until the first of May. In other words all the men and officers lost two months wages because the government just doesn’t have the funds. The troops have received new uniforms and boots.
The boys from Cabin 21 will be marching away on April 1st. All the boys, including Sgt. Baker, are being sent to Yorktown, VA and assigned to a construction outfit, but they will still be considered as an infantry group also.
This is over 280 miles, but they have a lot of time to hike it. Maybe they can catch some rides with some horse drawn outfit like the artillery. If they average 15 miles per day at five days a week they should arrive about the first of May.
What they are supposed to do is build and dig some para pits called Yorktown. This is sort of a peninsula between the James and York River.
As soon as the ladies of the village heard that the boys of Cabin 21 would be leaving they planned a going away dinner for them. Over the few months that the boys lived in Cabin 21, they grew to be like sons of the towns’ people. It showed that they were good for each other.
When the boys arrived months ago, the towns; people gave them clothing, boots and food supplies. The soldiers repaid them by working and helping the old folks and by helping out in a couple of emergencies.
The dinner was in the local non-denominational church. They had pork, deer, bear, chicken, turkey, coon and wood chuck if you wanted some. They had mashed potatoes, gravy, noodles, stuffing, vegetables, and they had deviled eggs as a treat. They had desserts and pies and cakes.
The boys had a big dinner and the food was left on the table for supper.
Each of the boys talked a little bit and told about where he came from and his family and what he wanted to do after the war was over.
Needless to say, there were some tears when the party broke up.
See Ya!
