Pulp -- War Stories -- November 9, 2024

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Veterans Day is coming.

Soldiers of the AEF (American Expeditionary Force) at the front during World War One.

Time Magazine -- John J Pershing -- August 17, 2024

Time, August 11, 1924

General of the Armies John J (Black Jack) Pershing was the highest-ranking US military officer other than George Washington. He was commanding general of the American Expeditionary Force during World War One.

Comic Book -- Two-Fisted Tales -- July 8, 2024

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Two-Fisted Tales was a famous war comic from EC. This cover of this issue depicts an aerial battle during World War One.

Pulp -- Battle Birds -- July 7, 2024

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Battle Birds featured some interesting covers. Here we see a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a battling with a colorful flock of Fokker Triplanes.

Rickenbacker -- A Car Worthy of Its Name -- March 24, 2024

Montgomery Advertiser, 09-March-1924

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was America's Ace of Aces in World War One. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the 1920s, he joined with industrialists to found the Rickenbacker Company, which built luxury automobiles in Detroit from 1921 to 1927. The Hat in the Ring logo was the symbol of the 94th Aero Squadron, which Rickenbacker commanded during World War One.

Time Magazine -- Bernard Baruch -- February 18, 2024

Time, February 18, 1924

Bernard Baruch​was a banker and statesman who carried much influence during the Great Depression and borth World Wars. He was a US representative at the Paris Peace Conference. I alwaays liked his name.

Time Magazine -- Anthony Fokker -- December 14, 2023

Time, December 21, 1923

Tony Fokker was a brilliant pilot, a pioneer manufacturer of airplanes and a lousy businessman. In the Netherlands, he designed, built and flew his first airplane in 1910. In 1912, he opened a factory in Germany. During World War One, his company built many successful airplanes for the German Army, including the Eindecker, the Dr.I Triplane and the D.VII fighter. Shoddy workmanship caused the Triplanes to lose their top wings until the problem was corrected. DVIIs also lost their top wings; Fokker blamed a design change forced upon him by the army inspectors. Fokker and his team developed the first successful synchronization gear, which allowed a machine gun to fire 

When the Armistice banned aircraft production in Germany, Fokker was able to sneak off to the Netherlands with much material from his German factory. He founded a new company which built successful civilian and military airplanes. In 1926, he moved to the US and started an American branch of his company. His most famous product in this period was the F.VII Trimotor. Fokker died in the US in 1939.

Time Magazine -- Erich Ludendorff -- November 14, 2023

Time, November 19, 1923

During World War One, General Erich Ludendorff served as Chief of Staff for Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg. In time, the two men ruled Germany in a de facto military dictatorship. After the war, Ludendorff became involed in extreme right wing, anti semitic and anti Roman Catholic politics. He was associated with the early Nazi movement. I suspect that Ludendorff was on the cover of Time Magazine because of his involvement with the 8-9-November-1923 Beer Hall Putsch. He later broke with the Nazis when he got involved with bizarre right-wing conspiracy theories.

Want to Buy a Battleship? -- October 27, 2023

San Francisco Bulletin, 04-October-1923

The US Navy needed to downsize after World War One because of limits set by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty and budget constraints, so they held a clearance sale. The battleships and battlecruisers listed as being "On Ways" were not completed. The battleships listed as "Afloat" were pre-Dreadnoughts. 

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker 50 Years -- July 23, 2023

San Francisco Examiner, 29-March-1923

Captain Eddie Rickenbacker died 50 years ago today, on 23-July-1973. He was America's highest scoring ace during World War One, Commander of the 94th Aero Squadron, drove in the first Indianapolis 500 and performed great services for his country during World War II. I remember when he died.,

Flag Day 2023 -- June 14, 2023

Happy Flag Day, everyone. The US had just entered World War One in April, 1917. That may have encouraged this elaborate commemoration. 

Pulp -- Dare-Devil Aces -- January 4, 2023

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Dare-Devil Aces always had colorful covers that apparently had little to do with the stories in the magazine. I think that is a SPAD confronting a Gotha bomber and a Fokker D.VII fighter.

Initial Coastwise Voyage of S.S. H. F. Alexander -- July 30, 2022

San Francisco Examiner, 06-July-1922

The S.S. Great Northern was launched in 1914 for the Great Northern Pacific Steam Ship Company. The Great Northern and her sister the Northern Pacific were extremely fast turbine-driven ships used to connect Puget Sound with San Francisco. In 1917, both ships were taken over to serve as Army transports during World War One. Both ships were sold to the Pacific Steamship Company, owner of the Admiral Line. The Northern Pacific sank on its way to a shipyard for refurbishment. 

This 1922 ad touts the "Initial Coastwise Voyage of S.S. 'H. F. Alexander'," an excursion from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 14 hours. 

The Admiral Line folded up in 1936. The H. F. Alexander served again as a troop transport during World War Two. She was scrapped in 1948. 

San Francisco Examiner, 06-July-1922

history.navy.mil/NH 53536

Comic Book -- All American Men of War -- July 6, 2022

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A SPAD attacks a BF-109. It should be a lop-sided battle.

Pulp -- Battle Stories -- July 5, 2022

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This issue of Battle Stories includes a story about French ace René Fonck. "Death Falcon of France."

Pulp -- Battle Birds -- November 7, 2021

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The cover of the January, 1932 Aces features Ernst Udet, the highest scoring ace to survive World War One and recipient of the Pour le Mérite.

After the war, he appeared in movies and toured the world giving exhibition flights. After the Nazis took power, he joined the party and became head of the new Luftwaffe's development wing. When World War Two broke out, Udet felt overwhelmed by the Luftwaffe's problems and eventually killed himself.

Comic Book -- Mystery in Space -- September 9, 2021

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This issue of DC's Mystery in Space features a World War One-era pursuit plane serving as Earth's last defense against an alien invasion. 

Douglas Campbell 125 -- June 7, 2021

 

Alaska Daily Empire, 31-August-1918

Douglas Campbell was born 125 years ago today, on 07-June-1921. He was a native of San Francisco and was the first American ace who flew in American-trained units. His father was later president of the University of California. On 05-June-1918, he scored his sixth victory. Badly wounded in the engagement, he did not fight again. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. 

Eddie Rickenbacker was America's Ace of Aces in World War One. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Alan Winslow was not an ace, but he shared Campbell's first victory, the first official victory by American pilots in an American unit. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. 

All three men were members of the famous 94th Aero Squadron, the "Hat in the Ring" squadron.

Pulp -- Battle Stories -- September 12, 2020

 

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This issue of Battle Stories includes a story about French ace Georges Guynemer. I don't remember him being a balloon buster. 

USS Delaware -- August 21, 2020

 

Leslie's Weekly, 02-January-1908

USS Delware (BB-28) was the first American Dreadnought designed after the Royal Navy unveiled the original Dreadnought. During World War One, Delaware served with the British Grand Fleet. She was scrapped in 1924.