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Seaview Stories Newsletter -6

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July 24, 2010
Visitors so far this month:  22,031

Did you know?
 
Some of the most popular fan written stories for Voyage have involved our furry friends. But did you know that there actually is a long history of ship's cats in the navy's and merchant fleets of the world? One such true story really grabbed my attention and took place in 1948.
 
Meet Simon, or Able SeaCat Simon.(Yes, it's official)
Birthplace: Hong Kong
Adopted Nationality: Great Britain
Military decorations: HMS Amethyst Campaign Ribbon, and Dicken Medal  for Gallantry (posthumous)

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Able SeaCat Simon, Royal Navy

One day in 1948 when the HMS Amethyst  ( Royal Navy) made port in Hong Kong, 17 year old Seaman George Hickinbottom decided to smuggle the hungry cat aboard hidden in his coat.(You might call Simon an undercover cat at that time, however his adventures were just beginning)
 
It's not within the scope of this newsletter to tell you the whole story, but check it out. You'll be fascinated with this tail, er, tale!
 

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Trailblazing submarines in 1905

You've come a long way, baby!

See: Naval History and Heritage Command

And now a Caption Corner Contest  #2, especially for the Chippettes!
We have included a fire extinquisher for your convienience. (Not that you'll want to use it, however.)

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HERE IT IS
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Get ready, aim, write!

In the Distance
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by Carol Foss

* This photo is contrived from another source.
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And the Caption Contest #1 winner is:
 
"Gosh, Captain! All that hair! Are you turning into that Manbeast again?"
Caption contributed by Sally.
 

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Arnold Marcus as a midshipman at the US Naval Academy
 
After serving aboard cruisers and gunboats,  Lt.(Jg.) Marcus was assigned to command of the submarine 'Shark'.
 
While on patrol in the Phillipines, there was a gasoline explosion within the sub and a fire which fatally injured several of her crew. The Captain managed to beach the boat, allowing rescue instead of a watery grave for them all. He was the last man off the boat and refused medical attention until all of his men had been seen to. Sadly, he too, died the next day.
 
* In 1921, a destroyer was named for him.

 
 
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Questions and Answers
 
Q. Where is the food stored on a submarine?
A. Wherever there's room. Actually, each boat has several storage rooms and freezers. However, it's been known that men have had to walk on top of of the canned goods stacked on the decks during long deployments.
 
Q. Are aerosol spray cans allowed aboard a submarine?
A. No, not normally, unless specificallly allowed. It's a pressure thing. Of course, speaking of pressure,  once women serve aboard, there may be some complaints about no hair spray. (Just kidding-I'm a girl too, and applaud the new regs).
 

From the Galley (in another time, another place)
 
 
One day Cookie approched the XO and asked, "Er, excuse me, but we just loaded  a couple of cases of frozen and canned beef that says rejected by the US Air Force."
"Don't worry about it Cookie. We're not Air Force. And we have other foodstuffs to feed our crew."
"Yeah, the ones that say 'Rejected by the US Prison System."
 
(Based on more than a few real submarine food incidents cited in The Stupid Shall Be Punished.)

(In some of my stories I complain that Nelson uses Army surplus, so perhaps I wasn't all that far off!)

*Today's subs can boast better food and better chefs, and most crews gain on average about ten pounds per cruise.