Day Tripping: May 31

Battle Tested

North Sea Gravesite

The only major sea battle of World War I was waged about sixty miles off the coast of Denmark in 1916. The Battle of Jutland began when German dreadnaughts attempted to run a blockade set up by the British fleet in the North Sea. Huge losses mounted on both sides mostly for Britain, losing 14 ships and more than 6,000 men, while Germany suffered 11 ships downed and the loss of 2,500 lives.

The greatest single loss came to the HMS Invincible which exploded and sunk. Out of a complement of 1,025 aboard, only six men survived. The remainder of the larger British fleet was pressed into action the following day, forcing the smaller German Naval compliment to retreat, and maintaining Britain’s superiority on the seas.

Channel Changing Moment

In what Winston Churchill called a “miracle of deliverance”, the evacuation of 320,000 stranded troops from Dunkirk began. With German troops closing in on the North of France in 1940, all looked lost for the allied forces with their backs to the English Channel. At some point days earlier, however, Hitler inexplicably halted his advance on France, giving England enough time to set an incredible rescue operation in motion.

Operation Dynamo consisting of civilian seafaring vessels along with British Navy ships, moved in to rescue their trapped comrades. In ten days, an armada of 800 fishing boats, pleasure cruisers, and any other boat that could carry men across the channel managed to bring the vast majority of liberated troops home safely.

Airborne Star

James Stewart was much more than a major film star during his career. In 1968 after twenty-seven years of service to the United States Air Force, Stewart retired. During his military career, Jimmy Stewart flew and directed hundreds of combat missions in World War II, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and a Distinguished Service Medal among others.

He flew his final mission as a reservist on a Vietnam bombing mission in 1966. When he retired, Stewart refused to allow publicity for his discharge ceremony. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan promoted James Stewart to the Reserve rank of Brigadier General and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Musical Milestones

Jimi Hendrix enlisted with the US Army for three years in 1962 and spent one year with the 101st Airborn Division in Kentucky. He was then honourably discharged for an apparent para trooping injury, but the truth is he was more interested in playing the guitar than being a good soldier.

Narratives

Gangnam Style by K-pop star Psy is the first video on YouTube to reach 2 Billion views in 2014.

Remembrance

“Turn on, tune in, drop out” were the famous words of counterculture guru Timothy Leary who passed away in 1996. A clinical psychologist at Harvard University, Leary notably advocated for the use of psychedelic drugs.

The Moody Blues actually recorded this tune in 1968.

Notable Births

1930 — Clint Eastwood turns ninety-one and he keeps on making films.

1948 — No other drummer had a distinctive sound like John Bonham

K. Barrett Katie Wallace Maria Rattray Maryam Merchant Dr Mehmet Yildiz Tree Langdon Myriam Ben Salem Phil Truman Chelsea Mandler MAT Terry Mansfield Hollie Petit, PhD. Terry Trueman Dr Preeti Singh John Gruber Bill Abbate James G Brennan ScienceDuuude Marcus Liam Ireland Claire Kelly Noorain Hassan, BMS Amy Pierovich David Acaster Nora Thewriteyard David Perlmutter Joe Luca

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