Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Pearl Harbor
Friday, January 27, 2023
Lex Anteinternet: January 27, 1973. The Paris Peace Accords Signed a...
January 27, 1973. The Paris Peace Accords Signed and last combat casualty sustained.
The following agreements were signed on this day in Paris, between the warring parties in Vietnam.
"Protocol Concerning the Cease-Fire in South Vietnam and the Joint Military Commission"
"Protocol Concerning the Return of Captured Military Personnel and Foreign Civilians and the Captured and Detained Vietnamese Civilian Personnel"
"Protocol Concerning the International Commission of Control and Supervision "
"Protocol Concerning the Removal, Permanent Deactivation, or Destruction of Mines in the Territorial Waters, Ports, Harbors, and Waterways of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam"
The agreements paved the way for the United States to exit Vietnam under the fiction that "peace with honor" had been brought to South Vietnam. In reality, the fighting never fully stopped and the Nixon Administration expected South Vietnam to fall. The South was pressured into signing the agreement.
By this point in the war, the US had largely withdrawn its combat troops from Vietnam. The final ones would be withdrawn in March, by which time it was obvious that the war was continuing on. As a practical matter, disciplinary problems in the US military were, by that point, so severe, that the Army was close to becoming incapable of engaging in combat operations. To this extent, the North Vietnamese had truly defeated the US in the ground war, although US air cover remained potent up until the ceasefire took place.
On this day, U.S. Army Col. William Nolde was killed by Communist artillery fire. He is generally regarded as the last American combat casualty of the Vietnam War, although Marines Charles McMahon and Darwin Lee Judge were killed by a North Vietnamese rocket attack on April 29, 1975, just before Saigon fell. The distinction, if there is one, is that Nolde was assigned to a combat command.
Nolde had been a Korean War conscript, and stayed in the Army thereafter, becoming an officer. His first tour of duty was in 1965.
Nolde had been a professor of military science at Central Michigan University before being conscripted, so he had the somewhat peculiar experience of being a university professor on military matters before being an enlisted man in the Korean War, and an officer in the Vietnam War. A scholarship at Central Michigan was established in his memory.
Friday, January 13, 2023
Lex Anteinternet: The 2023 Wyoming Legislative Session. The Legislat...
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. SJ0005Air Force 75th Anniversary.Sponsored by: Senator(s) Boner, Furphy, Nethercott and Pappas and Representative(s) Brown, Locke, Olsen and StyvarA JOINT RESOLUTIONforA JOINT RESOLUTION to recognize and congratulate the United States Air Force on the 75th anniversary of its founding.WHEREAS, the United States Air Force was founded in 1947 and has had a continuous and active presence in Wyoming since that time; andWHEREAS, The United States Air Force's heritage in Wyoming pre-dates the Air Force founding as a separate military branch and includes the significant training mission of strategic bomber crews at Casper Army Airfield during World War II; andWHEREAS, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base is the oldest continuously active Air Force base in the nation; andWHEREAS, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base has played a vital role in the strategic defense of the United States and its allies by maintaining the first fully operational Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the Atlas D, in 1959; andWHEREAS, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base is home to the 90th Missile Wing, one of three active missile wings currently operating the Minuteman III ICBM and the headquarters of 20th Air Force, which commands all three (3) missile wings; andWHEREAS, the 90th Missile wing is the only military unit to operate the Peacekeeper ICBM, the most advanced ballistic missile fielded to date which was deployed exclusively in Wyoming; andWHEREAS, the 90th Missile Wing will continue to play a vital role in the strategic defense of the United States now and into the future and be the first unit to deploy the new Sentinel ICBM; andWHEREAS, the University of Wyoming has a strong history of supporting the United States Air Force by establishing Air Force ROTC Detachment 940 in 1952 and counting Samuel C. Phillips, the leader of the Air Force's Minuteman ICBM program, as an alumni; andWHEREAS, the Wyoming Air National Guard has continuously supported our state and nation since 1946; andWHEREAS, the Wyoming Air National Guard became part of the Air Force in 1947 and ever since has honorably, ably and faithfully been the "Sword and Shield" for our state and nation; andWHEREAS, the Wyoming Air National Guard, as the Sword, has played a vital role in guarding the United States and defending freedom in nearly every major conflict and contingency by repeatedly answering the nation's call in places such as Korea, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world; andWHEREAS, the Wyoming Air National Guard, as the Shield, has fought fires on the ground and in the air in Wyoming and throughout the West, mitigated flooding in Saratoga, Fremont county and elsewhere, and most recently provided desperately needed manpower for medical facilities throughout the state during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic; andWHEREAS, the State of Wyoming is dedicated to memorializing the story of the Air Force through the Wyoming Veterans Museum and Quebec 01 Missile Alert Facility State Historic Site.NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING:Section 1.(a) The State of Wyoming commends the United States Air Force on its 75th anniversary.(b) The state of Wyoming acknowledges the strong historic relationship between the United States Air Force and the State.(c) The State of Wyoming recognizes the significant service that the United States Air Force currently provides in protecting our vital state and national interests.(d) The state of Wyoming is determined to continue the strong partnership between the State and the United States Air Force.Section 2. That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, to the Wyoming Congressional Delegation, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Commander of the 90th Missile Wing, 20th Air Force and the Commander of the Air Force ROTC Detachment 940.
Today In Wyoming's History: A Bill to Recognize the Service of Lester C. Hunt
A Bill to Recognize the Service of Lester C. Hunt
A bill has been introduced in the legislature to recognize former Governor and Senator Lester Hunt. Given Dr. Hunt's historic place in Wyoming, and national, history, it's worth visiting the topic here.
The bill states:
2023
State of Wyoming
23LSO-0301
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. SJ0002
Recognizing the service of Lester C. Hunt.
Sponsored by: Senator(s) Case and Rothfuss and Representative(s) Stith and Yin
A JOINT RESOLUTION
for
A JOINT RESOLUTION recognizing United States Senator and Wyoming Governor and Secretary of State Lester Calloway Hunt as a consummate model to public servants for his distinguished career, his commendable civility and courage and his service to Wyoming and the United States of America.
WHEREAS, after first coming to Wyoming as a recruit to play semi-professional baseball for a Lander team, Lester C. Hunt moved permanently to Wyoming to start his family and dental practice after working full-time on the railroad to fund his attendance at dental school; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt served actively during World War I as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Dental Corps from 1917 to 1919 and as a Major in the Army Reserve from 1919 to 1954; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt started his distinguished career in public service by serving in the Wyoming House of Representatives, as a Representative from Fremont County, from 1933 to 1934; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt served as Wyoming's Secretary of State from 1935 to 1943 where among his many accomplishments were obtaining a copyright to preserve the mark of the Bucking Horse and Rider and developing and implementing plans for the Bucking Horse and Rider license plate first issued in 1936; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt became the first person to serve for two consecutive terms as Governor of Wyoming, holding office during and after World War II. Among Governor Hunt's many accomplishments in addition to managing wartime concerns, he oversaw the creation of a pension system for teachers and advocated for a pension system for state employees as well as expanded systems of health benefits; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt served as Wyoming's accomplished junior United States Senator from 1949 until his untimely death by suicide, June 19, 1954; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt supported a number of federal social programs and advocated for federal support of low-cost health and dental insurance policies. He also supported a variety of programs proposed by the Eisenhower administration following the Republican landslide in the 1952 elections, including the abolition of racial segregation in the District of Columbia and the expansion of Social Security; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt served on Congressional committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee, a special Senate committee investigating war crimes and the Special Committee on Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce; and
WHEREAS, through Senate hearings, Lester C. Hunt was introduced to the bullying and false accusation tactics of Senator Eugene Joseph McCarthy and followers of the charismatic McCarthy, where many considered McCarthy a hero and the people who knew better stayed silent and attempted to stay on his good side; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt became a victim of this extremely polarized era in public thinking that hurt our nation and ruined the lives of many who found themselves on the other side of the boisterous "majority." During this time, Senator Hunt was a brave critic of the excesses of the McCarthyism era, even introducing legislation allowing private citizens to sue members of Congress who libeled them; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt endured threats and intimidation, to which his untimely death can be directly attributed, during this dark and harsh period of our nation's political journey characterized by incivility, irrational political dogma and unfounded beliefs; and
WHEREAS, while Lester C. Hunt was cruelly harmed by this movement, thousands of others also had their lives shattered when they were blacklisted by false accusations without credible evidence. Anyone who challenged the methods employed by the McCarthyists was labeled a communist sympathizer in a widespread chilling of free speech; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt was a victim of blackmail whereby his opponents used despicable means to obtain control of a deeply divided United States Senate; and
WHEREAS, Lester C. Hunt remained true to Wyoming and to our nation but succumbed to the overwhelming pressure and took his own life, adding to the tragic legacy of Wyoming's suicide prominence; and
WHEREAS, in 1954, within a few months after Lester C. Hunt's suicide, the Senate voted to censure Joseph McCarthy and our nation began to heal; and
WHEREAS, former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson said decades later that what happened to Lester C. Hunt "passed all boundaries of decency and exposed an evil side of politics;" and
WHEREAS, Wyoming's Lester C. Hunt with decency and courage contributed to the survival and preservation of a principled system of participatory government that has carried this nation through the darkest of times.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING:
Section 1. That the members of the Wyoming Legislature commit to respect each member and support our democracy and the right of every citizen to be heard and respected. With this resolution, the Wyoming Legislature remembers and joins with the people of Wyoming and all our nation to rededicate ourselves to democracy, civility, decency and truth.
Section 2. That the members of the Wyoming Legislature commit to work with those with whom we disagree and to strive for pragmatic problem-solving.
Section 3. That the members of the Wyoming Legislature commit to be ever vigilant to do all they can to prevent suicide and to be diligent in battling against injustices, inequities, discriminative conditions and intolerant practices that can lead to suicide.
Section 4. That the Secretary of State of Wyoming transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress and to the Wyoming Congressional Delegation.
For more on Hunt:
Baseball, Politics, Triumph and Tragedy: The Career of Lester Hunt
We have discussed Hunt here:
1942. Lester Hunt, DDS, the sitting Wyoming Secretary of State and a Democrat narrowly defeated Governor Nels H. Smith.
It's really interesting that this bill comes up now.
I didn't go into the story in depth, but as noted, Senator Hunt was an opponent of McCarthy and, obviously, tragically involved in a story that he couldn't overcome.
Hunt was a dentist by profession, and entered politics, first becoming, at a state level, the Wyoming Secretary of State. He was the elected a Democratic Governor, back in the day when Wyoming had a functioning Democratic Party and the state wasn't a one party state. He later became Wyoming's Senator.
In June 1953, his son, who was attending the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was the student body president, was picked up for solicitation of am ale prostitute. Normally this was just passed off by the police if it was a first offense, but the arrest became known to Republican Senators, who threatened to break the information if Hunt didn't resign from office. If that had happened, the Wyoming legislature would have appointed a Republican successor.
Hunt refused, his son was sentenced and paid the fine, and the Washington Post picked up the story.
Hunt decided to run for reelection anyhow, and the news story received little attention. Republicans again threatened to use it against him, although the Eisenhower Administration, seeing what was going on, tried to offer him a way out by offering him a position on the U.S. Tariff Commission. On June 8, 1954, following a medical examination, he declared he was bowing out of elective offices entirely. On June 19, he shot himself in his Senate office.
Following this, journalist Drew Pearson wrote about the drama and how the Republicans had threatened Hunt. Pearson noted, however:
Two weeks ago he went to the hospital for a physical check and announced that he would not run again. It was no secret that he had been having kidney trouble for some time, but I am sure that on top of this, Lester Hunt, a much more sensitive soul than his colleagues realized, just could not bear the thought of having his son's misfortunes become the subject of whispers in his re-election campaign.
In private, however, Pearson indicated that Hunt, whom he had been in contact with, had no physical concerns at the time of his suicide.
What the resolution states is completely true. If there's a black mark against Dr. Hunt in his public story, it would be that he was less than enthusiastic about the presence of Japanese American internees in the state during World War Two and his statements at the time would be hard not to view as racist, although they are not uniformly so. In our modern era, we tend not to cut anyone any slack at all for transgressions of this type, but perhaps to some degree we should. Overall, Hunt's service as Secretary of State, Governor, World War One serviceman, and Senator are praiseworthy and no matter what a person might think of McCarthy, his stand at the time was certainly praiseworthy. The actions by the GOP in persecuting him were vile.
Which is why I suspect that this bill will go nowhere. In Wyoming of 2023, there's almost no room in the state to praise a Democratic politician, and chances are that anyone supporting a bill condemning McCarthyism will receive pretty stout criticism as well.
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Friday, September 23, 2022
Painted Bricks: James Reeb Mural, Casper Wyoming
James Reeb Mural, Casper Wyoming
This is the memorial to civil rights activist James Reeb in Casper Wyoming. I should have taken this photograph when this mural was new, as its faded considerably since first painted, and it isn't even very old.
Given that, I'm taking the unusual step of posting it in full size here as well.
James Reeb was a Presbyterian minister in Casper when first ordained. He lost is life when murdered by segregationist in Selma, Alabama, where he was attending civil rights demonstrations, in 1965. The mural depicts scenes from his life, as well as honoring the Civil Rights movement.
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Courthouses of the West: Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming. First "Woman Jury Memorial.
Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming. First "Woman Jury" Memorial.
Contrary to the way it is sometimes recounted, the jury was not all female, but half male and half female, with six women jurors. It returned a verdict finding Mr. Howie guilty of manslaughter, which must have been included as a lessor offense in the charges. The trial convinced Downey who in turn became a champion of women's suffrage.
This memorial is not at the Albany County Courthouse, but at the downtown railroad park. Judicial proceedings in Laramie were originally held in a store at that location.
(Photo and reasearch by MKTH).
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Hall County Texas World War Two, Korean War, Vietnam War and Gulf War Memorial.
Yesterday we featured the Hall County, Texas Civil War and World War One Memorial. Today we have their memorials for the series of wars following the Great War.
Note how many names appear for the Second World War.
Again, MKTH photograph.
Civil War and World War One Memorial, Hall County (Memphis) Texas
The Hall County, Texas memorial in Memphis Texas was dedicated in 1924 in honor of the veterans of that county who had served in the Civil War, and World War One. MKTH Photo.
Thursday, April 14, 2022
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
National Vietnam Veteran's Day
Governor
and Veterans Commission to Host Veterans Welcome Home Day Events
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Gordon and
the Wyoming Veterans Commission have announced three celebrations around the
state for “Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day” on Saturday, March 26.
During the 61st Legislative Session in 2011, the day of welcoming was codified in state law
for March 30 of each year. This coincides with the date U.S. combat troops
would have set foot on Wyoming soil after returning home from the Vietnam War
in 1973.
All Wyoming Veterans, especially those from the
Korean War, Vietnam War, and other Veterans who were not properly thanked upon
their return home, are invited to attend and receive the welcome and thanks of
a grateful state. Military, surviving spouses of Veterans, and family members
are also welcome to attend.
The first ceremony begins at 8:30 am in Green
River at American Legion Post 28, 38 North Center St.
A ceremony takes place at 11:30 am in Worland at
American Legion Post 44, 129 S. 7th St.
The final ceremony of the day will commence at 3
pm in Gillette at the Campbell County Senior Center located at 701 Stocktrail
Ave.
The ceremonies will include remarks by Governor
Mark Gordon, Maj. Gen. Greg Porter, the Adjutant General of Wyoming and
Veterans Commission Chairman Jake Jacobs, local officials and Veterans.
Receiving lines will be formed so Wyoming residents can join the effort to
thank our Veterans.
Wyoming communities are also encouraged to host
their own celebrations to honor Wyoming Veterans who may not have been thanked
for their service or welcomed home.
For additional information, contact the Wyoming
Veterans Commission at (307) 777-8151.
-END-
Sunday, January 23, 2022
A Cottonwood Memorial.
Even though I've been in City Park in Casper lots of times, I managed to have never noticed this memorial to James Cobb Barlow.
James A. Barlow Jr. was a noted Wyoming geologist. He was the son of the elder James Barlow who was a homesteader first in Colorado and then later in Wyoming, but who had relocated to the East Coast prior to marrying. James A. Barlow came to Wyoming to study geology, and had one of the first two Ph.D's from the University of Wyoming's geology department. While I hadn't realized it, he obviously served as Mayor of Casper, Wyoming in 1965-66.
Monday, December 13, 2021
A French film will be made about the funeral of Norbert Herriges. . .
a P47 pilot who was killed over the country on August 12, 1944. He was from Montana.
His body was hidden by the farm family where he landed when he attempted to parachute out of his stricken plane. Villagers of the village of Pourrieres conducted a funeral that gathered three times the residency of the town's, which was 1,000.
Thursday, November 11, 2021
100th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Friday, November 11. Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Friday, October 22, 2021
Leonard L. Robinson Memorial Bridge, Casper Wyoming.
Lex Anteinternet: The 2020 Wyoming Legislative Session. Proposed Dr. Leonard L. Robinson memorial bridge.
2020 | STATE OF WYOMING | 20LSO-0464 |
1 | HB0096 |
Friday, June 18, 2021
Lex Anteinternet: Juneteenth. What the new Federal Holiday Commemorates
Juneteenth. What the new Federal Holiday Commemorates
Today is a Federal Holiday. And for the first time.
The holiday is Juneteenth.
The creation of the holiday is certainly proof that the Federal Government can in fact act quickly. The bills on this were very recently introduced and this just passed Congress earlier this week and was signed into law yesterday, giving Federal employees the day off today. On Monday, they weren't expecting a day off.
So what is it?
The day basically celebrates the end of slavery, but in a bit of an unusual way. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on September 22, 1862. Juneteenth, however, marks the calendar date of June 19, 1865, when Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, after the end of the war, and issued proclamations voiding acts of the Texas legislature during the war and proclaiming the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. His General Order No. 3 was read aloud in the streets. Hence, June 19 became recognized, regionally, as the day that the Emancipation Proclamation reached the most distant outposts of the slave states, bringing slavery finally to an end.
Celebration of the day in Texas started almost immediately, being first observed just one year later, by the state's freed African American population. Interestingly, the day was generally known as Emancipation Day. However, the revival of segregation in the South in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century caused the day to suffer a decline, until it began to be revived in the 1950s. Upon revival, the name Juneteenth began to apply to it. It was made a state holiday in Texas in 1979. The day received recognition in 47 of the states since then, with North and South Dakota and Hawaii being the only ones that had not up until now.
Talk of making it a Federal holiday has existed at least since the 1980s. Generally there's been very broad support for the move, but it obviously has taken years to accomplish, if we regard 1979 as the onset. It's interestingly been an example of states largely being out in front of the Federal Government on a holiday, and not surprisingly the various ways that states have recognized it have not been consistent.
There's been next to no opposition to the holiday being created which is interesting, in part, as the current times have been very oddly polarized in all sorts of ways. The measure had bipartisan support, although fourteen Republican members of Congress voted against it. One interestingly voted against it as he thought the official name confusing, Juneteenth National Independence Day, which in fact it somewhat is. That individual wanted to use the original name, Emancipation Day, which is a view I somewhat sympathize with.
It'll be interesting to see what the public reaction is given that this happened seemingly so quickly. By and large people who are aware of it seem pleased, although Candace Owens, the African American conservative columnists and quasi gadfly, predictably wasn't. It'll probably be next year until there's widespread national recognition of the day.
In very real ways, what it commemorates is the suffering of one of the most American of all American demographics, the African Americans, who have been in the country since its founding, but who still were the victims of legal discrimination all the way into the 1960s and whose economic plight remains marked.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Private Memorials: Tombstones
They were clearly Irish, recalling the old country, or at least its heritage.
I love this grave marker. Probably because of my Irish heritage.
People who had raised cattle. . . and loved what they raised.
Friday, May 28, 2021
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Lex Anteinternet: Subscribe by email "gadget" going away.
Subscribe by email "gadget" going away.
Google seems pretty intent on destroying the Blogger format, which means that for people like me, who have blogged on blogger, we have a choice of ultimately finding a new blogging service (which is what I think Google would like for us to do) or continue to try to find work arounds.
Over 1,000 people subscribe to this blog by email. Come July, that feature will be dysfunctional thanks to Google:
FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner) is going away
You are receiving this information because your blog uses the FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner).
Recently, the Feedburner team released a system update announcement , that the email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021.
After July 2021, your feed will still continue to work, but the automated emails to your subscribers will no longer be supported. If you’d like to continue sending emails, you can download your subscriber contacts. Learn how
So, starting in July, your email subscriptions won't work any longer.
I'd suggest you opt for the RSS feed if you receive this by email so you keep getting the blog, if you like the blog. I'm sure a lot of people will simply drop off.
In the meantime, we'll look for a replacement gadget, but even though the work around allows for a new system, I'm not going to hand enter over 1000 email address as I do have a full time job, etc. You'll probably have to resubscribe if you like the blog, which is a good reason just to opt for the RSS feed.
And we'll look for an alternative platform, although we hate to do it as we do like this platform. Or frankly we'll ponder, if this and other things are going to destroy these blogs, doing what Google apparently wants us to do, and simply quit blogging.