From here to...well...it SEEMS like an eternity

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Am currently negotiating pre-nup with stalker girl. We are hung up on Section XII/A, "Avocations and Hobbies". I proffered 21 hrs per week for WITP/AE. She countered with 45 minutes and a demand I have to watch "Dancing With the Stars" with her at least 3 times per month during the season. That is quite a gulf. I am now advocating 6 party talks.

[:D] [:D] [:D]

Amazing!! The prolonged hunt seems about to come to an end.

So, this 6 party talks - are you in the same position as North Korea and Stalker Girl the USA?

And will there be video cameras mounted in the computer room to monitor compliance with any agreement?? [&:] [:'(]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

So, this 6 party talks - are you in the same position as North Korea and Stalker Girl the USA?

Yes..I think my position is analagous to Kim Jung Il. She has powerful inducements which can be withheld to encourage my cooperation. In that event I have to play with my rocket by myself.

And will there be video cameras mounted in the computer room to monitor compliance with any agreement?? [&:] [:'(]

She could merely use the Mayan TV feed.

[Cap Mandrake]

****SITREP, The Philippines, July 3, 1943*****

San Marcelino: Marsh Tit Force went on the attack at the very same time that 21,000 Jap combat troops arrived from Lingayen. I am still not quite sure what happened. There was a warning the Jap foce was "surrounded" and some 400 casualties were reported on the Aussie side but Marsh Tit Force is now completely gone down to the last man [:(]

Leyte: The attack by 6th Aus Div(-) and a tank regt. went well. Tacloban may fall with the next attack.

Jolo: The lawsuit against 90thBS(M) continues, sapping morale. Another Fast Transport TF is loading more volunteers for a landing on Eastern Luzon (Tuguagaro). US 32nd ID will arrive at Jolo today and begin prepping for a SE Luzon landing.

[Cap Mandrake]

******Australian 7th Division Briefing Room, Jolo, July 2, 1943*****

Gen. Allen, CO:..right, a number among you have inquired about Marsh Tit Force. It seems we are having some communication issues. In the interim, Darwin have come up with a scheme..err..I mean plan to land a second force by cruiser on Eastern Luzon at <looks at nores)Too...goo...yoooeee...oh bloody Hell, how does one say this? (Fillipino aide leans and whispers in his ear> Too...gway...no eh sound are you sure........ OK..Too...gooway..guhh..row....oohh...No?...Too..gway..guh..grow. Oh, bloody Hell! <walks over to the map> It's here. I shall need a volunteer from among the battalion commanders. <looks around the very quiet room> Oh come now! Don't be timid! Intelligence estimates the landing site is unoccupied.

Bn. CO: Sir, isn't that what G2 said about San Marcelino?

[tabpub]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

******Australian 7th Division Briefing Room, Jolo, July 2, 1943*****

Gen. Allen, CO:..right, a number among you have inquired about Marsh Tit Force. It seems we are having some communication issues. In the interim, Darwin have come up with a scheme..err..I mean plan to land a second force by cruiser on Eastern Luzon at <looks at nores)Too...goo...yoooeee...oh bloody Hell, how does one say this? (Fillipino aide leans and whispers in his ear> Too...gway...no eh sound are you sure........ OK..Too...gooway..guhh..row....oohh...No?...Too..gway..guh..grow. Oh, bloody Hell! <walks over to the map> It's here. I shall need a volunteer from among the battalion commanders. <looks around the very quiet room> Oh come now! Don't be timid! Intelligence estimates the landing site is unoccupied.

Bn. CO: Sir, isn't that what G2 said about San Marcelino?

Hey, Mandrake; I found some Aussies from this Division in the SF brig. They got into a ruckus on Fisherman's Wharf or something...least, that's what the SP's said from the hospital....

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

****Aboard a B-25J of 90th BS(M), USAAF, Angels 6, 7 miles South of San Jose harbor, Mindoro, 19:50, June 27, 1943*****

Tall, hirsute USAAF Cpt.: I don't see any Jap ships. Maybe we got the wrong island. Bombardier, do you have anything?

Bombardier: Negative on the ships captain. It's socked in pretty good.

Tall, hirsute USAAF Cpt.: What about that flashing light? That has to be a Jap destroyer or something.

Bombardier: Negative on the light Cpt. I don't have target ID. That is a violation of ROE.

Tall, hirsute USAAF Cpt.: R-O-WHAT!

Bombardier: ROE, sir. Rules of engagement. Request go around sir.

Tall, hirsute USAAF Cpt.: Go around, my ass. You are new to this bird. The Rule of Engagement aboard my plane is to not give the Japs two tries to shoot me. Make your target that destroyer searchlight.

Bombardier: But sir, what about friendlies?

Tall, hirsute USAAF Cpt.: Friendlies? Are you kidding me? We have nothing but PT's here. Put your bombs on that destroyer so we don't have to come back here tomorrow. THAT IS AN ORDER GOD DAMNIT!

Bombardier: Acknowledged, sir, but I must formally protest.

<tracers begin to surge wildly through the low clouds>

Tall, hirsute USAAF Cpt.: Protest all you want, just drop the Goddamn bombs before we have to pick plexiglass out of your head. <the ship bumps from a nearby AAA burst. The Captains voice rises an octave> SHOOT DAMNIT! THOSE SONS OF BITCHES ARE TRYING TO KILL ME!.................

AH not to be a stickler here but ........ the -J didn't have a bombardier. Solid nose and 75 mm canon took up the space formerly reserved for the bombardier. Just saying you know for historical accuracy and all

[HMS Resolution]

Thanks to Milo's padding of the accounts, every -25J of the 90th BS(M) retains a bombardier.

[Panther Bait]

No wonder he couldn't see the ships or the lighthouse, the Bombadier doesn't even have a window to look out of!!!!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: vettim89

AH not to be a stickler here but ........ the -J didn't have a bombardier. Solid nose and 75 mm canon took up the space formerly reserved for the bombardier. Just saying you know for historical accuracy and all

Are you sure about that? According to at least two sources, many of the solid nose J's were field modifications, at least on those delivered first in the queue.

Of course, I could always claim this is 1943(b) [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution

Thanks to Milo's padding of the accounts, every -25J of the 90th BS(M) retains a bombardier.

Hmmmmm???

[HMS Resolution]

Jest tryin' to halp.

[BrucePowers]

Hi Cap[:)] Hope all is well.

Bruce Powers

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: vettim89

AH not to be a stickler here but ........ the -J didn't have a bombardier. Solid nose and 75 mm canon took up the space formerly reserved for the bombardier. Just saying you know for historical accuracy and all

Are you sure about that? According to at least two sources, many of the solid nose J's were field modifications, at least on those delivered first in the queue.

Of course, I could always claim this is 1943(b) [:)]

No J was a production version. That said, I was wrong. The -J did not carry the 75 mm Cannon (G&H did). The -J's were about 50%/50% solid nose/glass canopy. So Yosarian was just as likely to have a barbardier as not. To quote the late Ed McMahon, "You are correct, sir!"

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: tabpub


Hey, Mandrake; I found some Aussies from this Division in the SF brig. They got into a ruckus on Fisherman's Wharf or something...least, that's what the SP's said from the hospital....

[X(] I thought you were confabulating.

[Cap Mandrake]

*****Corner of State and Sacramento Streets, Chinatown, San Francisco, 23:20, July 1, 1943*****

An eerie blue light fades. In its wake a very strange sight is revealed. Many hundreds, perhaps a thousand, soldiers in khaki shorts occupy the corner of State and Sacramento Streets. Most are supine, moaning, unable to right themselves. A few are actually on the tiled roofs of the nearby buidlings. Dozens of antitank guns and mortars lie about. A dozen or two of the soldiers struggle to their feet and promptly vomit. Another two dozen seem strangely unaffected by the mass malady. They are chronic inebriates, inured to the "whirleys".

A 17 year old Chinese American, Hop Sing IV, emerges from his family's restaurant, proudly wearing his eagle scout uniform with a new "civil defence" badge. He stops abruptly at the curious sight in the street. Nearby, an Aussie Master Sargeant attempts to rally his ambulatory colleagues. "It a Jap psyops thing lads...there is one now..GET HIM!"

[Terminus]

Seems a bit much to bring mortars and AT guns to a simple street brawl...[:D]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Seems a bit much to bring mortars and AT guns to a simple street brawl...[:D]

It would give them a bit of an advantage... "if you are in a fair fight, you aren't doing it right!" [:-] [:'(]

[FOW]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Seems a bit much to bring mortars and AT guns to a simple street brawl...[:D]

It would give them a bit of an advantage... "if you are in a fair fight, you aren't doing it right!" [:-] [:'(]

Given that nearly all the devices are disabled they must have dismantled them to use as improvised weapons - there's no baseball bats, crowbars or bike chains where they came from.

[HMS Resolution]

"Crikey! It's those stinking Jets! Fire mission!"

[tabpub]

I thought you were confabulating

Um....since the divorce I have't done that....