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National Stagecoach Express?
National Express has confirmed that it is considering making an offer to buy Stagecoach. If completed, the deal will deliver “significant operational efficiencies across the combined networks” and accelerate the expansion of National Express’s key growth sectors, including into the corporate, shuttle and private hire coach market, it says. Combination of the two groups would also position the resulting business well in an evolving bus industry landscape.
Under the terms of possible all-share combination, Stagecoach shareholders would receive 0.36 new National Express ordinary shares for each Stagecoach ordinary share. That would result in them owning approximately 25% of the combined group.
National Express has until 19 October to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Stagecoach or to withdraw, although that deadline can be extended. Any deal would be subject to regulatory and merger control approval.
In a statement, National Express says that combining the two businesses would, among other things, accelerate the expansion of its National Express Transport Solutions (NETS) business, along with its accessible transport operation, “across Stagecoach’s UK footprint.” NETS was launched in July 2020 with a bullish message that it would “stand apart from the rest of the market.”
In addition to delivering growth potential via NETS and in the accessible sector, National Express says that the potential combination of the two businesses would enable its scheduled coach operation to improve efficiencies through use of Stagecoach’s depot network for operations and vehicle maintenance.
National Express believes that if the deal is completed, 25% of expected cost synergies would be achieved by the end of the first year, 85% by the end of the second year and the full pre-tax run rate of at least £35m by the end of the third year.
Those savings would be split approximately equally across network efficiencies and optimisation; shared operational best practice; and through additional savings such as rationalisation of shared costs and the non-depot footprint.
Should the deal be completed, it is envisaged that Ray O’Toole would become Chair of the combined group. Current Chair of National Express Sir John Armitt would step down. Jorge Cosmen would be Deputy Chair of the combined group while National Express’s present Chief Executive Ignacio Garat would hold the same position in the combined business, with Chris Davies as Chief Financial Officer.
The purchase would be something of a role reversal as back in 2008, Stagecoach had looked seriously at purchasing National Express as that company went through its own issues following it’s ill-advised venture in to running the East Coast main line rail service. NatEx massively overbid for it and had to hand it back, something Stagecoach actually did subsequently itself in later years when it too put in a bid which was also over-optimistic. However what Stagecoach was interested at the time of its approach to buy NatEx was NatEx’s bus businesses, particularly in the West Midlands.
That bid fell through and NatEx eventually steadied itself and rebuilt its business, although it had to hand back other rail businesses it owned as result of its East Coast escapades and as a punishment for them. It’s expanded into continental Europe and particularly in America where it the second largest private operator of Student, Transit and Paratransit operations in the USA. It also runs rail operations in Germany.
Stagecoach meanwhile has contracted. It’s sold off it’s US Coach USA and transit operations in 2018 and now its only presence is the Megabus brand, which operates in Canada and America. It no longer runs rail operations in the UK, having been barred due to concerns over tendering issues by the authorities. It’s now only a UK operator and so doesn’t have any real overseas operations.
However Stagecoach’s UK bus operations massively dwarf NatEx’s bus operations. Ironically, if the deal goes through it would take the new business back into Dundee through Stagecoach East Scotland, NatEx having sold off its former Xplore Dundee brand there to McGill’s. There’s no longer any bus operations north of the border run by NatEx although there are some coach services run by NatEx to the major cities in Scotland from destinations down south. Stagecoach is Scotland’s largest bus operator and indeed headquartered in Scotland. It’s operations in Scotland include 27221 (SK15HCC), run by Stagecoach Western Buses.
The only potential issues to the purchase are some overlap in the bus business in the Midlands and the coach operations. Stagecoach’s Megabus is NatEx’s own coach business’s major competition and the competition authorities may have something to say about all the coaches being in one company’s control. However with FLiXBUS entering the UK market, a case could be argued that this is a defensive move by both businesses and possibly an argument to allow the purchase. So we’ll see what happens. At the moment it’s just talks but interesting times ahead.
It wouldn't be autumn without a tribute to my favorite trees, which provide interest on multiple levels year round as confirmed by the numerous images within my stream. Despite the storms which leveled 100 foot trees, my rowans endured even maintaining their crop of berries as shown here with a bit of added "artsy" flair. Perhaps the following provides explanation, extracted from the excellent source: www.thegoddesstree.com/trees/Rowan.htm
The Rowan is a tree of magical protection long used to ward off enchantment. (It occurs to me that the White House grounds must be lacking in rowans.) Its flame-red berries bear the sign of the pentagram, the protective five-pointed star, and it is said that a rowan whip or branch can break the spell of an enchanted horse...an assertion to which I can attest, not having encountered such in ages. A cross made of rowan and bound with red thread was used by our ancestors as a protective charm above the doors of houses as celebrated in the rhyme:
"Rowan tree, red thread, holds the witches all in dread."
Likewise its flower, berry or wood was regarded as a protection against the wiles of elf-folk and malicious faeries. Since I haven't seen a single witch, evil elf or fractious faerie, I wonder if it would be equally effective against malicious software. Maybe if I put a few twigs on my PC, I can keep my XP, protecting me against not only the wiles of elves and faeries, but of Microsoft...clearly a far more powerful, crafty and evil entity.
The Rowan Fairy is strong and protective, yet feminine and very magical. In tradition, her power will come if you carry rowan berries in your pocket, to where the water meets the land - and this can inspire you to write poetry. How very nice! So if you'll excuse me, I need to visit my tree and make my way down to the water where I hope to meet a magical female and compose a bit of poetry...hopefully in that sequence.
[If you look large, you might enjoy it more, but you still will see no mystical creatures, clear evidence of its effectiveness]
Germanwings and Lufthansa, parent company of Germanwings, confirmed flight 4U-9525 suffered an accident in the French Alps.
In future (October 2015) the nex low-cost airline EUROWINGS will be created by Lufthansa.
Again 20% cheaper than Germanwings.
EUROWINGS wil be 40% cheaper.
This means what?:
It seems it is so "cheap"
because of bad conditions for the persons who care about the low-cost airline.
in fact:
A lot of work, less money, less free time, no hotels to rest!
At the end a Burnout Syndrom, depression, or heart stroke comes.
The problem is always the too hard work, humans are no machines!
If someone feels like a slave, he is a slave.
(subjektive Depression)
Yes, it is personally, but it is not ok when normal work produces illness.
.
More money for shareholders!
Tragedy
A tragedy is an event of great loss, usually of human life. Such an event is said to be tragic.
Eine Tragödie ist ein Ereignis begleitet von einem großen Verlust; in der Regel des menschlichen Lebens.
Ein solches Ereignis wird tragisch genannt.
....
In my family occurerd something like this this.
The former Lufthansa pilot crashed and was dead with 54 years.
Another private person in the cockpit could not help!
-
My Photo above - one of three shots - was taken one day before in Tübingen.
Germanwings, D-AIPX, Airbus A320-211. GWI18.
Location: Gerrmany / Baden-Wurttemberg / Tuebingen / Waldhausen
Der Sinkflug der Germanwings-Maschine habe 18 Minuten gedauert, nicht acht. Das sagte Ségolène Royal, die französische Verkehrsministerin, zum «Independent». Um 10.30 Uhr reagierte die Crew nicht mehr auf den Funk.
Daraufhin liess das französische Militär einen Mirage-Kampfjet* aufsteigen.
Dieser Flieger wurde auch von Augenzeugen gesichtet. Wie die Luftwaffe mitteilte, kam der Jet jedoch zu spät und konnte schliesslich auch nicht die Absturzstelle ausmachen.
Um 10.48 Uhr verschwand der A320 vom Radar und zerschellte wenig später in den französischen Bergen.
Frage:
Hauptsache billig, gespart wird am Personal und deren Gesundheit.
Maximierung des Gewinns.
Nach dem erschütternden Unglück sind jedoch vorerst alle Tarifstreitigkeiten ausgesetzt.
Oft erhalten Angestellte von Billigairlines keine Hotelübernachtungen am Zielort, sondern fliegen wieder an die Heimatbasis zurück.
Sie sind also gestresst und übermüdet. Ein Burnout Syndrom und andere stressbedingte Krankeiten sind mögliche Folgen.
Eine jährlicher psychlogischer Check up gibt es nicht für Piloten.
Sicherheits-Checks des Piloten wurden von zwei auf fünf Jahre Rythmus umgestellt, also verwässert.
Aus meinem näheren Umfeld kenne ich so einen tragischen Fall.
Ein ehemaliger Lufthansa Pilot hatte mit 54 eine Herzattacke und starb bei der Bruchlandung. Der "Co-pilot" ohne Ausbildung konnte nicht eingreifen.
==>
The "official" theory
The French prosecutor, the French and German aviation authorities, and a spokesperson for Germanwings have said the crash was intentionally caused by the co-pilot, 27-year-old Andreas Lubitz, who was earlier deemed "unfit" for piloting duty by his doctor for mental reasons.
But:
Authorities did not find a “suicide note or a confession”, or any evidence that the co-pilot’s actions may have been motivated by “a political or religious background”.
#
“I don’t see how anyone can draw such conclusions before the investigation is completed.”
A 2013 article in the Aviation Business Gazette reported the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) inclusion of Lubitz in the prestigious FAA Airmen Certification Database, for having “met or exceeded the high educational, licensing and medical standards established by the FAA”.
What we know about A320 co-pilot Andreas Lubitz
...
#
Neusete Theorie
Selbsttötung und Amoklauf?
Mehode:
Einem Geisteskranken wird ein letztes Urteil zugesprochen, die Verantwortlichen dabei freigesprochen.
Der jetzt beschuldigte Co-Pilot war auch ehemals bei der besseren Lufhansa angestellt und musste dann 2013 zur Germanwings Tochter wechseln.
Er war ein fanatischer Lufthansa Pilot der jetzt bei Germanwings schlechtere Bedingungen antrifft. Das ist wie eine Degradierung.
Gegen die Theorie der bewussten Handlung spricht dass es kein Lebenszeichen des Copiloten aus dem Cockpt gibt. Folglich ist die bewusste Selbsttötung eine vage Annahme.
Warum verlässt ein Pilot das Cockpit auf so kurzem Flug?
Wo ist der dritte Mann, wie in Amerika Vorschrift, wenn eine Falltür aus Panzerstahl eingebaut wurde?
Sparmassnahmen allenthalben!
18 Minuten dauerte der Sinkflug und niemand hat Hilfe geholt oder einen Notruf abgesetzt.
Das ist wie Feuerausbruch und keiner ruft rechtzeitig die Feuerwehr. Auch das gab es schon!
In Horb ist so eine ganze Firma abgebrannt!
...
Die deutsche Allianz-Versicherung, der Versicherer der "germanwings" Billig-Flug-linie, muss jetzt den Schaden übernehmen.
Da ist die Konzern-Mutter Lufthansa fein heraus.
Das Flugzeug aus Lufthansa-Beständen hat fast 25 Jahre auf dem Buckel!
==========================
www.20min.ch/finance/news/story/10290039
Best news
www.20min.ch/ausland/news/story/Ein-Puzzle-mit-fehlenden-...
Theorie:
Das französische Militär schickte einen Mirage-Kampfjet* kurz vor dem Absturz zur Klärung des Sinkfluges.
Es sollen drei Jagdbomber in der Luft gewesen sein!
Spekulation:
Finaler *Abschuss ?
Nein, Kehrtwende:
Schlussfolgerung französischer Ermittler dass der Absturz des Flugzeugs absichtlich herbeigeführt wurde.
Wo bleiben internationale Sachverständige?
"Man hört kein einziges Wort des Copiloten, nachdem der Pilot das Cockpit verlassen hat", berichtet Brice Robin. Es seien keinerlei Gespräche aufgezeichnet worden.
Woher weiss man wer drin blieb?
Waren beide drin, aber benommen?
Der Mirage Pilot hat einen Piloten über den Amaturen hängen sehen!!
Die Selbsttötung- und die Amoklauf-Theorie sind aus einem "Nichtwissen über das Bewusstsein des Co-Piloten " geschlossen worden!
Das ist eine seltsam dünne Beweislage für ein offizielles Statement.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
1980 ereignete sich eine historische Parallele, als die italienische Passagier-Maschine Itavia-Flug 870 von italienischen NATO-Kampffliegern bei Ustica (Italien) versehentlich abgeschossen wurde, da sich diese zu jenem Zeitpunkt im Luftkampf mit Libyen befanden; Italien vertuschte die Tragödie über 30 Jahre lang.
Ähnliches könnte nun der französischen Regierung unterlaufen sein, was Hollande eventuell mit seinem verbalen Angriff auf die USA zu vertuschen sucht.
#
newest theory
technical problems
it is a 24 old airbus!
Technical defect - Clean "cabin air" for the cockpit is a problem! Specially on germanwings low cost airlines!
##
Or -
May be top secret!!!
Geheimdienstsache! ??
beinahe atomisierte Teile - weshalb?
All pieces a too small! Why?
-
##
Zookeepers confirmed today that Tatiana is pregnant. Seen here on March 29 of this year, when she met with Tonghua, the confirmation of Tatiana's pregnancy comes just in time - as she is due to deliver her little darlin's any day. A delivery den has been prepared for these last days of her confinement and she resides there now.
Hee! hee! just thought this cloud looked liked it was being sucked in or blown out by something so I made out it was me!! just being silly really, the heat must have got to me :-)
I found out and confirmed yesterday that I won six awards in the region for the Scholastic Arts Contest in the region.
I won a gold key (the top section of the region which transfer my piece to compete nationally against other gold key winners) for Standing in the Skeleton of Another Reality in the photography section
I won two silver keys. I won one for Alice Has Lost Her Mind in the photography section, and one for This House is Burning in the digital art section as it was a digitally created multi exposure.
I also won honorable mentions for three of my photographs: Untitled Dreams Speak to Me in My Tongue and Spook (spook)
It's really exciting! There's an exhibition being held at the Armory Center for the Arts for the gold key winning artwork that'll take place from February 27-March 14th and I welcome any of you who are able to, to come! The Armory Center for the Arts is located at 145 North Raymond Avenue in Pasadena (the zipcode is 91103).
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this is from what seems like a hundred years ago, when I met ella seriously love the photos we both took that day. I know it was so long ago but I loved this so I thought upload it
ps. isn't the graffiti cool?
Haakon was confirmed last Sunday. One start to feel a bit old when all your children are almost grown up:-(
I have also been deep down since Sunday afternoon. My wife had got all neighbour women to bake the most fantastic cakes to the celebration. We had the family celebration of the confirmation. We had the first gathering of neighbours to finnish off the rest of the cakes. We had the second gathering of friends and neighbours to eat what was then left. And we still have loads of cakes left!!! I AM NOT EATING A PIECE OF CAKE EVER MORE!!!!
But it is nice to get together.
The Assistant Loco Pilot had confirmed the green flag clearance through to the rear of the train and had turned to view the green flag that would be displayed ahead of him from the distant signal cabin. Indian Railways WDP-4D 40303 was departing from Dhuri Junction with the 05:15 Churu to Ludhiana Junction Passenger 54636.
The 'cowpat' of concrete on the platform covered a hole that would accommodate a soon to be installed mast as part of the electrification work [in progress]. The splendid semaphore signals [one complete with bent finial inclined to the aspect of the arm!] were soon to be history but the green flag routine would no doubt continue through into the post-electrification era.
Visible beneath the station sign, pedestrians, scooters and bikes continue to cross the railway despite the road barriers being down in readiness for the train. Such crossing activity would continue until the locomotive actually reached the road crossing, when a crowd would start to form on both sides ready for the rear of the train to clear. Such is the regular level crossing routine to be viewed in India.
All images on this site are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed written permission of the photographer. All rights reserved – Copyright Don Gatehouse
Since it was confirmed during the set visits to Justice League that the movie wouldn't be a “part 1” as previously confirmed. In my opinion, I think that it’s a great idea to save Darkseid to a later film to get rid the Thanos comparaisons (even though DARKSEID CAME FIRST but whatever…). Anyways, now that Justice League 2 is not going to follow the whole Darkseid storyline, I wanted to share a few of my thoughts on what I would like to see!
Ok so first off, I have absolutely no doubt that Green Lantern will be in Justice League 2. I mean, it awkward enough that he’s not in the first one. I don’t care which Green Lantern would be in Justice League 2, but if I had to pick, I’d say Hal Jordan so it’ll fit into my Green Lantern Corps idea. Now I’d only like to see one more hero join the team, and that would be Martian Manhunter. Martian Manhunter NEEDS to be in the DCEU, he’s such a perfect character for this universe with his tragic storyline. He’d he could have some amazing scenes with him and Superman. Superman’s character would build so much because of Martian Manhunter, I always love it when Superman helps Martian Manhunter adjust to earth life. Basically, I just want him to have that Christmas dinner with Clark and Martha like in the Justice League cartoon! :)
Now let’s talk villains. Because of the inclusions of Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, I was thinking of more intergalactic villains to tie them in. My first choice for villains is Starro. Now I bet people would think Starro would be a completely interesting villain, but hear me out. I think it be really cool if they adapted the Final Frontier storyline, but replace “The Center” with Starro, I don’t know. Starro was one of the first villains that the JLA faced, so I think it would be pretty cool if we saw him on the big screen. I mean, if we’re going to see Ego the Living Planet, Starro’s not too absurd, right? My next choice is Brainiac, but I have a pretty good feeling that DC’s saving him for Man of Steel 2, but maybe he’d survive that movie and then face the Justice League! My last choice for a villain is the white martians, but the only reason why I’m hesitant is because it’d be another alien invasion, which is what we’re probably going to get in the first Justice League.
As for storylines, I know I said before that I’d like the villains to be more intergalactic to give a reason to Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, but they can still introduce them without tying them to the villain, but I think it’d be badass if they adapted the Tower of Babel storyline! Now if you haven’t read the comic or have seen Justice League: Doom, the Tower of Babel is when Ra's al Ghul (or the Legion of Doom in the animated movie) steal information on how to defeat the whole Justice League from Batman. I think this storyline is ripe for a cinematic adaptation, it'd be cool to see the Legion of Doom approach for this movie like they did with the animated one. They could have Lex Luthor gather one of each of the League's villains and have them take out their counterparts. Plus, who doesn’t want to see how Batman would take out the Justice League?
Anyways, those are my thoughts on Justice League 2, but the real question is, what do you guys want to see in the sequel to Justice League? Leave your ideas down in the comments and let’s discuss! Also, make sure to leave recommendations in the comments of other future movies you’d like me to give my ideas on!
Item # 66096
All American
Auden™ Dressed Fashion Figure
Dynamite Girls™ "Love Revolution" Collection
Limited Edition of 750 Dolls Worldwide
Approximate Ship Date: Early May 2014
Suggested Retail Price: $70.00 US
Available for Pre-order from Any Authorized Integrity Toys Dealer
Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: Homme
Head Sculpt: Auden
Quick Switch Feature: No
Skin Tone: FR White
Hair Color: Light Blond
Eyelashes: No
Note: The pics are property of Integrity Toys !!!
Explanation Via APOD: NGC 2685 is a confirmed polar ring galaxy - a rare type of galaxy with stars, gas and dust orbiting in rings perpendicular to the plane of a flat galactic disk. The bizarre configuration could be caused by the chance capture of material from another galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris strung out in a rotating ring. Still, observed properties of NGC 2685 suggest that the rotating ring structure is remarkably old and stable. In this sharp view of the peculiar system also known as Arp 336 or the Helix galaxy, the strange, perpendicular rings are easy to trace as they pass in front of the galactic disk, along with other disturbed outer structures. NGC 2685 is about 50,000 light-years across and 40 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation: Ursa Major
Right ascension: 08h 55m 34.75s
Declination: +58° 44′ 03.87″
Tech Specs: Orion 8” RC Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at -10F, 5 hours and 24 minutes using 60 second exposures, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in PixInsight. Image Date: February 6, 2024. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).
Confirmed by drpep to be a former Wegmans.
Liverpool, NY. March 2016.
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If you would like to use THIS picture in any sort of media elsewhere (such as newspaper or article), please send me a Flickrmail or send me an email at natehenderson6@gmail.com
Kitty Islet, Oak Bay
Victoria BC
The PUSA is confirmed! Typically a winter resident along the Atlantic coast, it is closely related to the Rock Sandpiper, which winters on the Pacific coast. The experts have examined photos by BC birders taken at Kitty Islet, looking at plumage and wing patterns along with coloring of the legs and bill. Specific features were diagnostic for PUSA, and most e-bird reports have now been confirmed. While it was absent from Kitty Islet and Trial Islands yesterday, it made a brief appearance today (Jan 8), so there’s still time to get out for a look and a record photo. The past week has been an exciting one with other rarities in the area, including Clay-colored Sparrow, Harris’s Sparrow, Red-throated Pipit, Rusty Blackbird, and Snow Bunting.
For a while we've heard that Wiig was in talks to play the iconic Wonder Woman villain, but this morning director Patty Jenkins officially confirmed Kristen Wiig will in fact be playing Cheetah in the sequel!
I'm still on the fence about this one, guys. I've seen a few films where she does some dramatic acting like The Martian and Downsizing, but she didn't really stand out that much in those. Whenever I see her, all I think about is the Target Lady and one of the Californians from SNL. Anyways, I guess we'll have to wait and see what direction Jenkins takes Cheetah in the sequel next year, let me know your thoughts on this casting in the comments below!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
History
United States
Name: USS Enterprise
Ordered: 1933
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding
Laid down: 16 July 1934
Launched: 3 October 1936
Commissioned: 12 May 1938
Decommissioned: 17 February 1947
Identification: Hull number: CV-6
Nickname(s):
The Big E
Lucky E
The Grey Ghost
The Galloping Ghost
Honors and
awards:
Bronze-service-star-3d.png 20 Battle Stars
United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg Presidential Unit Citation
Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Navy Unit Commendation
American Defense Service ribbon.svg American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg World War II Victory Medal
Task Force 16 Citation
British Admiralty Pennant
Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines).svg Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Phliber rib.png Philippine Liberation Medal
Fate: Scrapped 1958–1960
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Yorktown-class aircraft carrier
Displacement:
19,800 tons standard
25,500 tons full load
From October 1943:
21,000 tons standard
32,060 tons full load
Length:
770 ft (234.7 m) waterline
824 ft 9 in (251.4 m) overall
From July 1942:
827 ft 5 in (252.2 m) overall length
Beam:
83 ft 3 in (25.4 m)
109 ft 6 in (33.4 m) overall
From October 1942:
114 ft 5 in (34.9 m) overall width
From October 1943:
95 ft 5 in (29.1 m) waterline
Draft: 25 ft 11.5 in (7.9 m)
Installed power:
120,000 shp (89,484 kW)
9 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Propulsion: 4 × shafts; 4 × Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed: 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Range: 12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 2,217 officers and men (1941)
Sensors and
processing systems: CXAM-1 RADAR[1]
Armament:
8 × single 5 in/38 cal guns
4 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal guns
24 × .50 caliber machine guns
From April 1942:
8 × 5 in/38 cal
4 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal
30 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
From mid-June 1942 to mid-September 1942:
8 × 5 in/38 cal
5 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal
32 × 20 mm Oerlikons
From mid-September 1942:
8 × 5 in/38 cal
4 × quad 40 mm Bofors guns
1 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal
44 × 20 mm Oerlikons(46 from 11/42)
From October 1943:
8 × 5 in/38 cal
40 × 40 mm Bofors (8×2, 6×4)
50 × 20 mm Oerlikon
From September 1945:
8 × 5 in/38 cal
54 × 40 mm Bofors (5×2, 11×4)
32 × 20 mm Oerlikons (16×2)
Armor:
2.5–4 in belt
60 lb protective decks
4 in bulkheads
4 in side and 2 in top round conning tower
4 in side over steering gear
Aircraft carried: 90 aircraft
Aviation facilities:
3 × elevators
2 × flight deck hydraulic catapults
1 × hangar deck hydraulic catapults
USS Enterprise (CV-6), was the seventh U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name. Colloquially called "the Big E", she was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. A Yorktown-class carrier, she was launched in 1936 and was one of only three American carriers commissioned before World War II to survive the war (the others being Saratoga and Ranger). She participated in more major actions of the war against Japan than any other United States ship. These actions included the Attack on Pearl Harbor (18 dive bombers of VS-6 were over the harbor, 6 were shot down with a loss of eleven men, making her the only American Aircraft carrier with men at Pearl Harbor during the Attack and the first to receive casualties during the Pacific War), the Battle of Midway, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, various other air-sea engagements during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Enterprise earned 20 battle stars, the most for any U.S. warship in World War II, and was the most decorated U.S. ship of World War II, She is also the first American ship to sink an enemy vessel during the Pacific War, the sole surviving pilot of the six planes shot down over Pearl Harbor sank Japanese submarine I-70 on 10 December 1941. On three occasions during the Pacific War, the Japanese announced that she had been sunk in battle, resulting in her being named "The Grey Ghost".
Construction and commissioning
The second carrier of the Yorktown-class, Enterprise was launched on 3 October 1936 at Newport News Shipbuilding, sponsored by Lulie Swanson, wife of Secretary of the Navy Claude A. Swanson, and commissioned on 12 May 1938 with Captain Newton H. White in command. Enterprise sailed south on a shakedown cruise which took her to Rio de Janeiro. After her return, she operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean until April 1939, when she was ordered to duty in the Pacific.[2]
Service history
Enterprise was one of fourteen ships to receive the early RCA CXAM-1 Radar.[1] Based first at San Diego (where she was used in the filming of Dive Bomber, starring Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray) and then at Pearl Harbor after President Roosevelt ordered the Fleet to be "forward based," the carrier and her aircraft squadrons trained intensively and transported aircraft among the island bases of the Pacific. Enterprise was completing one such mission when she left Pearl Harbor on 28 November 1941. It was while returning to Hawaii after delivering Marine Fighter Squadron 211 (VMF-211) to Wake Island, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7.[2]
World War II
Enterprise was at sea on the morning of 7 December 1941[3] and received a radio message from Pearl Harbor, reporting that the base was under attack. The next evening, Enterprise, screened by six of her Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters, put into Pearl Harbor for fuel and supplies (VADM Halsey ordered every able bodied man on board to help rearm and refuel the Enterprise, the entire 24 hour process took only 7 hours)[4]. The aircraft were fired on by anti-aircraft defenses, and one pilot radioed in, reporting that his aircraft was an American aircraft.[5] She sailed early the next morning to patrol against possible additional attacks in the Hawaiian Islands. Although the group encountered no surface ships, Enterprise aircraft sank Japanese submarine I-70 at 23°45′N 155°35′W on 10 December 1941.
During the last two weeks of December 1941, Enterprise and her group steamed west of Hawaii to cover the islands while two other carrier groups made a belated attempt to relieve Wake Island. After a brief layover at Pearl Harbor, the Enterprise group sailed on 11 January, protecting convoys reinforcing Samoa.[2]
On 16 January 1942, one of her TBD Devastators of Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6),[6] piloted by Chief Harold F. Dixon, got lost on patrol, ran out of fuel, and ditched. Dixon and his two crewmates, bombardier Anthony J. Pastula and gunner Gene Aldrich, survived for 34 days in a small rubber raft that had no stored food or water, before drifting ashore on Pukapuka atoll. Dixon was awarded the Navy Cross for "extraordinary heroism, exceptional determination, resourcefulness, skilled seamanship, excellent judgment and highest quality of leadership."[7][8]
On 1 February, Enterprise's Task Force 8 raided Kwajalein, Wotje, and Maloelap in the Marshall Islands, sinking three ships, damaging eight, and destroying numerous airplanes and ground facilities. Enterprise received only minor damage in the Japanese counterattack, as her group retired to Pearl Harbor.
The next month, the Enterprise group swept the central Pacific, attacking enemy installations on Wake and Marcus Islands.
After minor alterations and repairs at Pearl Harbor, Enterprise departed on 8 April 1942 to rendezvous with her sister ship Hornet and sail west, escorting Hornet on the mission to launch 16 Army B-25 Mitchells in the "Doolittle Raid" on Tokyo. While fighters from Enterprise flew combat air patrol, the B-25s launched on 18 April, and flew undetected the remaining 600 miles (1,000 km) to the target. The task force, its presence known to the enemy after a sighting by small vessels, reversed course and returned to Pearl Harbor on 25 April.[2]
The Battle of Midway
Five days later, Enterprise sortied toward the South Pacific to reinforce U.S. carriers operating in the Coral Sea. However, the Battle of the Coral Sea was over before Enterprise arrived. After executing, with Hornet, a feint towards Nauru and Banaba (Ocean) islands which caused the Japanese to delay Operation RY to seize the two islands, Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor on 26 May, and began intensive preparation to meet the expected Japanese thrust at Midway Island.
VT-6 TBDs on USS Enterprise during the Battle of Midway
On 28 May, Enterprise sortied as Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance's flagship with orders "to hold Midway and inflict maximum damage on the enemy by strong attrition tactics". With Enterprise in CTF 16 were Hornet, six cruisers, and 10 destroyers. On 30 May, Task Force 17 (TF17), with Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in Yorktown, left Pearl with two cruisers and six destroyers as CTF-17; as senior officer present, Rear Admiral Fletcher became "Officer in Tactical Command."[2] The usual commander of the Enterprise task force, Vice Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey, was kept in hospital at Pearl with a stress-related skin condition.
Each side launched air attacks during the day in a decisive battle. Though the forces were in contact until 7 June, by 10:45am on 4 June the outcome had been decided. Three Japanese carriers were burning and it was only a matter of time until a fourth was caught and knocked out. The Battle of Midway began on the morning of 4 June 1942, when four Japanese carriers, unaware of the presence of U.S. naval forces, launched attacks on Midway Island. Shortly after the first bomb fell on Midway, the first wave of planes from Midway Island attacked, unsuccessfully. Several more groups attacked, again failing to damage their targets. Planes from the U.S. carriers attacked next. Enterprise torpedo bombers attacked first, scoring no hits and suffering heavy losses. Soon after, Enterprise dive bombers attacked and disabled the Japanese carriers Kaga and Akagi, leaving them ablaze. Within an hour, the one remaining Japanese carrier, Hiryu, launched air strikes that crippled Yorktown with three bombs and two torpedoes striking home during two separate attacks. In late afternoon, a mixed squadron of Enterprise and Yorktown bombers, flying from Enterprise, disabled Hiryu, leaving her burning. (Aircraft from Yorktown had also disabled the Japanese aircraft carrier Sōryū at the same time as the Enterprise planes were bombing Akagi and Kaga, again leaving it burning and dead in the water). The following day Enterprise dive bombers alone sank cruiser Mikuma. While Yorktown and Hammann were the only American ships sunk, TF 16 and TF 17 lost a total of 113 planes, 61 of them in combat, during the battle. Japanese losses were much larger: four carriers (all scuttled), one cruiser and 272 carrier aircraft.[9] Despite losses to her aircraft squadrons, Enterprise came through undamaged and returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 June 1942.[2]
South Pacific
October 1942.
After a month of rest and overhaul, Enterprise sailed on 15 July 1942 for the South Pacific, where she joined TF 61 to support the amphibious landings in the Solomon Islands on 8 August. For the next two weeks, the carrier and her planes guarded seaborne communication lines southwest of the Solomons. On 24 August, a strong Japanese force was discovered some 200 miles (300 km) north of Guadalcanal, and TF 61 sent planes to the attack.[2] This was the first time that the Grim Reapers of VF-10 deployed from Enterprise under commanding officer James H. Flatley, who became known as "Reaper Leader."[10] In the ensuing Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the light carrier Ryūjō was sunk, and the Japanese troops intended for Guadalcanal were forced back. Enterprise suffered most heavily of the American ships; three direct bomb hits and four near misses killed 74, wounded 95, and inflicted serious damage on the carrier. Quick, hard work by damage control parties patched her up so that she was able to return to Hawaii under her own power.[2]
Repaired at Pearl Harbor from 10 September-16 October 1942, Enterprise departed once more for the South Pacific, where with Hornet she formed TF 61. On 26 October, Enterprise scout planes located a Japanese carrier force and the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands was under way. Enterprise aircraft struck carriers and cruisers during the struggle, while the Big E herself underwent intensive attack. Hit twice by bombs, Enterprise lost 44 men and had 75 wounded. Despite serious damage, she continued in action and took on board a large number of planes and crewmen from Hornet when that carrier was sunk. Though the American losses of a carrier and a destroyer were more severe than the Japanese loss of one light cruiser, the battle gained time to reinforce Guadalcanal against the next enemy onslaught,[2] and nearby Henderson Field was therefore secure from the Japanese bombardment. The loss of the Hornet meant Enterprise was now the only functioning (albeit damaged) US carrier in the Pacific Theater.[note 1] On the flight deck, the crew posted a sign: "Enterprise vs Japan."[11][12][13][14]
Enterprise reached Nouméa, New Caledonia on 30 October for repairs, but a new Japanese thrust at the Solomons demanded her presence and she sailed on 11 November, with repair crews from Vestal still working on board. Part of the repair crew comprised a 75-man Seabee detachment from Company B of the 3rd Construction Battalion because adequate regular repair forces were lacking.[15][note 2] Underway with orders to engage the enemy, the Seabees continued their repair work even during the forthcoming battle. Ship repairs fell under the round-the-clock supervision of her damage control officer Lieutenant Commander Herschel Albert Smith, USN (USNA- Class 1922, Michigan).[16] "She made the open sea with her decks still shaking and echoing to air hammers, with welders' arcs still sparking, with a big bulge in her right side forward, without water tight integrity and one oil tank still leaking, and with her forward elevator still jammed as it had been since the bomb at Santa Cruz broke in half.".[17]
The commanding officer of Enterprise, Captain Osborne Bennett "Ozzie B" "Oby" Hardison, USN (USNA- Class 1916, North Carolina)[18] notified the Navy Department that "The emergency repairs accomplished by this skillful, well-trained, and enthusiastically energetic force have placed this vessel in condition for further action against the enemy".[19][note 3] This remarkable job later won the praise of Vice Admiral William Halsey, Jr., USN, Commander South Pacific Area and the South Pacific Force, who sent a dispatch to the OIC of the Seabee detachment stating: "Your commander wishes to express to you and the men of the Construction Battalion serving under you his appreciation for the services rendered by you in effecting emergency repairs during action against the enemy. The repairs were completed by these men with speed and efficiency. I hereby commend them for their willingness, zeal, and capability."[20]
On 13 November, aviators from Enterprise helped to sink the Hiei, the first Japanese battleship lost during the war. When the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal ended on 15 November 1942, Enterprise had shared in sinking sixteen ships and damaging eight more. The carrier returned to Nouméa on 16 November to complete her repairs.
Sailing again on 4 December, Enterprise trained out of Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, until 28 January 1943, when she departed for the Solomons area. On 30 January, her fighters flew combat air patrol for a cruiser–destroyer group during the Battle of Rennell Island. Despite the destruction of most of the attacking Japanese bombers by Enterprise planes, the heavy cruiser Chicago was sunk by aerial torpedoes.
Detached after the battle, the carrier arrived at Espiritu Santo on 1 February, and for the next three months operated out of that base, covering U.S. surface forces up to the Solomons. Enterprise then steamed to Pearl Harbor where, on 27 May 1943, Admiral Chester Nimitz presented the ship with the first Presidential Unit citation awarded to an aircraft carrier.
In the summer of 1943, with the new Essex-class and Independence-class carriers joining the American Pacific Fleet, Enterprise was temporarily relieved of duty, and on 20 July, she entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a much-needed overhaul.[2] Over the course of several months, Enterprise received an extensive refit, which included, among other upgrades, new anti-aircraft weapons and an anti-torpedo blister that significantly improved her underwater protection.[note 4]
Return to duty
Back in waters by mid-November, Enterprise joined in providing close air support to the 27th Infantry Division landing on Makin Atoll, during the Battle of Makin, from 19–21 November 1943. On the night of 26 November, Enterprise introduced carrier-based night fighters to the Pacific when a three-plane team from the ship broke up a large group of land-based bombers attacking TG 50.2. Two of the three planes returned to the ship, with LCDR Edward "Butch" O'Hare the only casualty. After a heavy strike by aircraft of TF 50 against Kwajalein on 4 December, Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor five days later.
The carrier's next operation was with the Fast Carrier Task Force in softening up the Marshall Islands and supporting the landings on Kwajalein, from 29 January-3 February 1944. Then, Enterprise sailed, still with TF 58, to strike the Japanese naval base at Truk Lagoon in the Caroline Islands, on 17 February. Again Enterprise made aviation history, when she launched the first night radar bombing attack from a U.S. carrier. The twelve torpedo bombers in this strike achieved excellent results, accounting for nearly one-third of the 200,000 tons of shipping destroyed by aircraft.
Detached from TF 58 with escorts, Enterprise launched raids on Jaluit Atoll on 20 February, then steamed to Majuro and Espiritu Santo. Sailing on 15 March in TG 36.1, she provided air cover and close support for the landings on Emirau Island (19–25 March). The carrier rejoined TF 58 on 26 March, and for the next 12 days, joined in a series of strikes against the islands of Yap, Ulithi, Woleai, and Palau. After a week's rest and replenishment at Majuro, Enterprise sailed on 14 April to support landings in the Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) area of New Guinea, and then hit Truk again from 29–30 April.
On 6 June 1944, she and her companions of TG 58.3 sortied from Majuro to join the rest of TF 58 in attacking the Marianas Islands. Striking Saipan, Rota, and Guam from 11–14 June, Enterprise pilots gave direct support to the landings on Saipan on 15 June, and covered the troops ashore for the next two days.
Aware of a major Japanese attempt to break up the invasion of Saipan, Admiral Spruance, now Commander 5th Fleet, positioned TF 58 to meet the threat.[2]
The Battle of the Philippine Sea
On 19 June 1944, Enterprise was one of four carriers of Task Group 58.3 under the command of Rear Admiral John W. Reeves' during the largest carrier aircraft battle in history: the Battle of the Philippine Sea. For over eight hours, airmen of the United States and Imperial Japanese navies fought in the skies over TF 58 and the Marianas. Over the course of two days, a total of six American ships were damaged, and 130 planes and a total of 76 pilots and aircrew were lost. In sharp contrast, American carrier aircraft, with a major assist from U.S. submarines, sank three Japanese carriers (Hiyō, Shōkaku, and Taihō), and destroyed 426 carrier aircraft, losses from which Japanese naval aviation would never recover.
Enterprise participated both in the defense of the fleet and in the subsequent early-evening strike against the Japanese task forces. During the chaotic after-dark recovery of the air strike, a fighter and a bomber came aboard simultaneously, but fortunately did not cause an accident. A planned midnight strike against the Japanese fleet by night-flying Enterprise pilots was cancelled because of the recovery and rescue operations required after the dusk attack. After the battle, Enterprise and her Task Group continued to provide air support for the invasion of Saipan through 5 July. She then sailed for Pearl Harbor and a month of rest and overhaul. Back in action on 24 August, the carrier sailed with TF 38 in that force's aerial assault on the Volcano and Bonin Islands from 31 August – 2 September, and Yap, Ulithi, and the Palaus from 6–8 September.[2]
The Battle of Leyte Gulf
After operating west of the Palau Islands, Enterprise joined other units of TF 38 on 7 October and set course to the north. From 10–20 October, her aviators flew over Okinawa, Formosa, and the Philippines, blasting enemy airfields, shore installations, and shipping in preparation for the assault on Leyte. After supporting the Leyte landings on 20 October, Enterprise headed for Ulithi to replenish, but the approach of the Japanese fleet on 23 October called her back to action.
In the Battle of Leyte Gulf (23–26 October), Enterprise planes struck all three groups of enemy forces, battering battleships and destroyers before the action ended. The carrier remained on patrol east of Samar and Leyte until the end of October, then retired to Ulithi for supplies. During November, her aircraft struck targets in the Manila area, and at the island of Yap. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 6 December 1944.
Sailing on 24 December for the Philippines, Enterprise carried an air group specially trained in night carrier operations; as the only carrier capable of night operations, she left Oahu with her hull code changed from CV to CV(N), the "N" representing "Night".[21][22] She joined TG 38.5 and swept the waters north of Luzon and of the South China Sea during January 1945, striking shore targets and shipping from Formosa to Indo-China including an attack on Macau.[23] After a brief visit to Ulithi, Enterprise joined TG 58.5 on 10 February 1945, and provided day and night combat air patrol for TF 58 as it struck Tokyo on 16–17 February. She then supported the Marines in the Battle of Iwo Jima from 19 February – 9 March, when she sailed for Ulithi. During one part of that period, Enterprise kept aircraft aloft continuously over Iwo Jima for 174 hours.
Departing Ulithi on 15 March, the carrier continued her night work in raids against Kyūshū, Honshū, and shipping in the Inland Sea of Japan. Damaged lightly by an enemy bomb on 18 March, Enterprise entered Ulithi six days later for repairs. Back in action on 5 April, she supported the Okinawa operation until she was damaged on 11 April—this time by a kamikaze—and was forced back to Ulithi.[24] Off Okinawa once more on 6 May, Enterprise flew patrols around the clock as kamikaze attacks increased. On 14 May 1945, she suffered her last wound of World War II when a kamikaze Zero, piloted by Lt. J.G. Shunsuke Tomiyasu, destroyed her forward elevator, killing 14 and wounding 34.
The carrier sailed for and was fully repaired at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. Near ready, with all planes aboard at the degaussing/demagnetizing range off the Strait of Juan de Fuca when the Nagasaki bombing ended the war on August 9, 1945.[2]
Post war
Operation Magic Carpet
Enterprise and Washington in Panama Canal
Enterprise and Washington pass through the Panama Canal en route to New York in October 1945
Enterprise awaiting disposal
Restored to peak condition, Enterprise voyaged to Pearl Harbor, returning to the States with some 1,141 servicemen due for discharge, including hospital patients and former POWs, then sailed on to New York on 25 September 1945 via the Panama Canal arriving on 17 October 1945. Two weeks later, she proceeded to Boston for installation of additional berthing facilities, then began a series of three Operation Magic Carpet voyages to Europe, bringing more than 10,000 veterans home in her final service to her country.[2]
The first European voyage returned 4,668 servicemen from Southampton, England in November 1945.[25] On the second trip to Europe, she was boarded by the British First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Albert Alexander in Southampton, who presented Enterprise with a British Admiralty pennant that was hoisted when a majority of the Admiralty Board members were present. The pennant was given to the Big E as a token of respect from several high-ranking officers of an ally. She returned to New York on 25 December 1945 with 4,413 servicemen.[25] On this nine-day trip, she encountered four storms, some with winds of 80mph that caused 75 foot waves that swamped the forecastle deck in water up to 10 feet deep. According to damage control officer John U. Monro, the storms smashed sections of walkways and railings, and swept loose objects overboard.[26] Her last voyage was to the Azores, and returned 3,557 personnel, including 212 WACs to New York on 17 January 1946[25]
The end of the "Big E"
With the commissioning of over two dozen larger and more advanced aircraft carriers by end of 1945, Enterprise was deemed surplus for the post-war needs of America's navy. She entered the New York Naval Shipyard on 18 January 1946 for deactivation, and was decommissioned on 17 February 1947. In 1946, she had been scheduled to be handed over to the state of New York as a permanent memorial, but this plan was suspended in 1949.[27] Subsequent attempts were made at preserving the ship as a museum or memorial, but fund-raising efforts failed to raise enough money to buy the vessel from the Navy, and the "Big E" was sold on 1 July 1958 to the Lipsett Corporation of New York City for scrapping at Kearny, New Jersey.
A promise was made to save the distinctive tripod mast for inclusion in the Naval Academy's new football stadium, but was never fulfilled; instead, a memorial plaque was installed at the base of what is still called "Enterprise Tower." Scrapping was complete as of May 1960. In 1984, a permanent "Enterprise Exhibit" was dedicated at the Naval Aviation Museum, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida to house artifacts, photos and other items of historical interest.
Jersey.
Surviving Enterprise artifacts include the ship's bell, which resides at the U.S. Naval Academy,[28] where it is traditionally rung only after Midshipmen victories over West Point; and the sixteen-foot, one-ton nameplate from the ship's stern, which sits near a Little League park in River Vale, New Jersey.[29] Her commissioning plaque and one of her anchors are on display at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.
Successors to the "Big E"
The name was revived in February 1958 when the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was laid down as the eighth Enterprise; this ship was commissioned in November 1961. Also nicknamed the "Big E", various artifacts and mementos were kept aboard from her predecessor. The port holes in the captain's in-port cabin and conference room are only one example. She was inactivated and removed from service on 1 December 2012 after being in the fleet for 51 years. Due to needs involving reactor removal, she cannot be turned into a memorial. At her inactivation, it was announced that the ninth ship to bear the name Enterprise would be the planned Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, CVN-80.[30] It has not been confirmed what, if any, artifacts from USS Enterprise (CV-6) will be incorporated into this next generation aircraft carrier, although a time capsule containing mementos from both CV-6 and CVN-65 will be presented to the first captain of the new Enterprise. The aforementioned port holes aboard the CVN-65 will be removed and returned to the Boston Navy Yard Museum.
Awards and commendations
The ship's insignia of Enterprise
Bronze star
Silver star
Silver star
Silver star
Silver star
Presidential Unit Citation Navy Unit Commendation
American Defense Service Medal
with "Fleet" clasp American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
with twenty stars
World War II Victory Medal Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal
British Admiralty Pennant
Enterprise was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for her service during World War II.[31] The citation states:
“ For consistently outstanding performance and distinguished achievement during repeated action against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific war area, 7 December 1941, to 15 November 1942. Participating in nearly every major carrier engagement in the first year of the war, the Enterprise and her air group, exclusive of far-flung destruction of hostile shore installations throughout the battle area, did sink or damage on her own a total of 35 Japanese vessels and shot down a total of 185 Japanese aircraft. Her aggressive spirit and superb combat efficiency are fitting tribute to the officers and men who so gallantly established her as an ahead bulwark in the defense of the American nation. ”
In addition to her Presidential Unit Citation, Enterprise received the Navy Unit Commendation and 20 battle stars for World War II service, making her the highest decorated US ship ever.
Finally, she was presented with a British Admiralty pennant that was hoisted when a majority of the Admiralty Board members were present. The pennant was given to the "Big E" as an unofficial token of respect from an ally.
List of Commanding Officers
Commanding Officer[32] Dates of Command Notable Events
Captain Newton H. White, Jr., USN 12 May 1938 - 21 Dec. 1938 Commissioning, Shakedown Cruise
Captain Charles A. Pownall, USN 21 Dec. 1938 - 21 March 1941 Winter Maneuvers, Pacific Fleet Exercises and Patrols
Captain George D. Murray, USN 21 March 1941 - 30 June 1942 Pearl Harbor, Marshall Islands Raid, Wake and Marcus Island Raids, Doolittle Raid, Midway
Captain Arthur C. Davis, USN 30 June 1942 - 21 Oct. 1942 Guadalcanal Landings, Eastern Solomons
Captain Osborne B. Hardison, USN 21 Oct. 1942 - 7 April 1943 Santa Cruz, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, Rennell Island
Captain Carlos W. Wieber, USN 7 April 1943 - 16 April 1943
Captain Samuel P. Ginder, USN 16 April 1943 - 7 Nov. 1943 Pearl Harbor Repairs, Bremerton Refit
Captain Matthias B. Gardner, USN 7 Nov. 1943 - 10 July 1944 Gilberts Landings, Marshall and Truk Islands Raids, Marianas Landings, Philippine Sea
Commander Thomas J. Hamilton, USN 10 July 1944 - 29 July 1944 Pearl Harbor Repairs
Captain Cato D. Glover, USN 29 July 1944 - 14 Dec. 1944 Bonin Islands Raids, Leyte Landings, Leyte Gulf
Captain Grover B. H. Hall, USN 14 Dec. 1944 - 25 Sep. 1945 Luzon Invasion, South China Raids, Tokyo Raids, Iwo Jima, Kyushu Raids, Okinawa, Bremerton Repairs
Captain William A. Rees, USN 25 Sep. 1945 - 20 Feb. 1946 Navy Day Celebrations, Operation Magic Carpet
Captain Francis E. Bardwell, USN 20 Feb. 1946 - 10 June 1946 Docked in Bayonne, New Jersey
Commander Conrad W. Craven, USN 10 June 1946 - 31 Jan. 1947
Commander Lewis F. Davis, USN 31 Jan. 1947 - 17 Feb. 1947 Decommissioning
So like everyone else, I was hopping to get my hands on Nadja, really the one we've all waited and cried for her return on the w club forums, but unfortunately she sold out before I had the chance to preorder her. Luckily my favorite NuFace Girl appeared to have been made in a larger edition size so I got Giselle. My dealer is so cool, she's hooked me up with Erin's and Nadja's outfits, yes even the coats which I am so happy for because Giselle may be hot, but that outfit needs some help. Fortunately for all of us, the whole line really appears to work together allowing room to mix and match different pieces together. What I am most excited about is the shoes, obviously. The gold heels ad that extra special touch of lux to their looks.
I really like Erin's look, but I thought it was too similar to that of my rerooted Lady in Red. Not that I think she was based on her, but she's too close to keep her around.
My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd
This shot of the geometric roof structure over the atrium is another upload from last months London Flickr Group photowalk. Our afternoon started with an exclusive tour of the Fumihiko Maki designed Aga Khan Centre at Kings Cross.
This month's photowalk has now been confirmed for June 28th, more details here : www.flickr.com/groups/londonflickrgroup/discuss/721577219...
These free photowalks are usually about every 4-6 weeks so keep an eye on the group for details of upcoming events.
From the Aga Khan's website, "The Aga Khan Centre is a place of education, knowledge, cultural exchange and insight into Muslim civilisations. The building is the UK home for three organisations founded by His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, the hereditary spiritual leader of the Shi‘a Ismaili Muslims.
This building is designed to represent the values of openness, dialogue and respect for different viewpoints (pluralism). The architecture incorporates a collection of gardens, courtyards and terraces that provides an insight into the diversity and influence of Islamic landscape design around the world and through history.
The building was designed by Fumihiko Maki, one of Japan’s most distinguished contemporary architects. The Centre is primarily designed for an academic community, with places for students, scholars and staff to share ideas and work together alongside flexible teaching spaces and quiet research areas."
© D.Godliman
Juvenile
Red-winged Blackbird RWBL (Agelaius phoeniceus)
with fluffiness still apparent on head
Maber Flats
Central Saanich
BC
DSCN0782
This is not offspring from female
that i have have nick named
EE
for Epic Epaulets
although she is now in the feeding her nestlings mode
i have yet to see mate/male feeding , or packing food
So I got recently confirmed from my dealer for these two dolls. I only want Beauty/Lukas but most dealers aren't selling them separately as he appears to be selling better than Beast/Pizzazz. With money tight at the moment I intended to pick just one but I had to take them both in fear that Lukas might be sold out at this time even with an 800 edition size. Now it's not that I don't like Beast, I actually think she's stunning but when it comes to Fashion Royalty I tend to not veer towards avant garde which most Nu.Fanasty releases tend to go that route. I've also had enough with purple eyeshadows with red lipstick combo. I love the fact that she has the Pizzazz from The Stingers head sculpt since a lot of the Jem sculpts are just gorgeous and has the potential to be used for new characters in the FR universe. I'm also thrilled to see this doll with the newly refreshed FR2 2.0 body which will become the official body type that will be used for every doll in the main FR line. Though I do not like the fact that this Beast character has no name since the story description of Beauty is indeed confirmed as Lukas. I would be in heaven if this Pizzazz sculpt is a replacement to Kesenia who is in need of a refreshed sculpt despite being so gorgeous in the FR Classic Collection. Now, Lukas is a no brainer. I definitely want him! There are only two past versions of Lukas that I liked and that's Rock Ringmaster and Style Strategy. It's because I thought they were the most striking and I wanted IT to release a new Lukas with that similar face screening and so I felt like they were reading my mind. I got the ideal Lukas that I wanted. Blue eyes and all. Now I'm not quite sure about his fashions. I feel like I have so many gray and black fashions for the Hommes that a pop of color added to their wardrobe is much needed. I also feel like it's borderline costumey instead of it being high fashion. I have yet to see a photo of where they got the inspiration from. Over all I am loving the twist on the concept of this age old fairy tale with lots of edgy and glamorous elements that is right up my doll alley.
I’m finally going to get a Lucas! I’m one of those who has been asking for his return and he’s finally here. I think Tatyana Alexandrova has the prettiest screening for her yet. Her outfit is very sheik as well. She’s my favourite doll for the girls. I’ve been really happy with the East 59th line right from the start, mostly because of all the great accessories and I like that there’s a story line developing. I’m a huge fan of Evelyn’s sculpt and I have the red head and brunette from last year. This will be my first Constance doll though and I’m looking forward to her and Victoire making my set more complete. I liked Constance’s clothes and accessories last year but couldn’t bond with the face. I think this years doll is perfect though. I’m very happy with Victoire’s new screening and so I look forward to posing them all together. I have decided to make my Sterling Reise into the part of Laird Drake because he has a vibe from that era.
So on the bratz Facebook, they confirmed that they are in partnership with a claynation company and are gonna release the bratz webisodes like the pic you see!!! I'm super excited to see this and hope it doesn't end like that 2010 animation that only had 1 episode
This site was confirmed as a former petrol station by one of the mechanics here who seemed rather interested in wanting to find out more about it's history.
Looking at the totem pole I had thought possibly Mobil fuel was sold here but it was suggested that the current totem pole branding was designed to cover any previous signage underneath.
The 2009 street view image shows what I think are the pump island footprints and possibly a clue on the top of the totem as to what fuel brand was sold, although the site was trading as Central tyres.
www.google.com/maps/place/Tyre+Pros+Chester/@53.195237,-2...
Could this have been a Murco in the past?
Cliff sits hunched over in the corner as he watches the puddle of flesh begin to stir under its unwearable clothes. He props himself up against the cave wall and watches as the mass begins to re-mould itself, growing limbs and filling out the clothing around it. After a few moments it transforms from the mass of flesh into a fully grown person – now with a head and hair. Rita groans as she sits up and steadies herself, looks at her body and adjusts her clothing. Cliff isn’t sure if she’s noticed him quietly sitting opposite, but his suspicions are confirmed when she glances across to him and gasps, wrapping her arms instinctively round her body.
Cliff: I… I…
Rita lets out a long breath and holds up a hand.
Rita: You don’t have to say anything. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t.
Cliff: I… I’m sorry. I had no idea.
Rita: It’s fine. Now forget it.
They say nothing, Cliff feeling like a scolded child as he stares at the ground.
Rita: Are you okay?
He looks at her.
Cliff: I’m alright. Don’t think these freaks realised you can’t exactly knock a robot unconscious.
Rita: Who are they?
Cliff: No fuckin’ idea.
Rita: How long have I been out?
Cliff: Couple o’ hours or so.
Rita: And when did I…
Cliff: Not that long ago. None of them saw, I promise.
She nods curtly and looks around the cave. To the side of them is a crude selection of uneven bits of metal, assembled in the shape of a cell door.
Rita: Where are we?
Cliff: A cave.
Rita: Yes, thank you Cliff. I had worked that out. Do you have any idea where this cave is?
Cliff: Not sure. They dragged us through the trees for a while, kept tryna cover my eyes so I couldn’t see where we were goin’. It kinda got confusin’. They dumped us in here and told us to wait.
Rita: And Larry?
Cliff: Dunno. Think they left him in the van.
Rita says nothing.
Cliff: They kept callin’ me The Idol. Know what the fuck that means?
Rita: No idea.
Cliff pauses for a moment, the elephant in the room rearing its ugly head and getting ready to trample them.
Cliff: Do you think this has got somethin’ to do with that weedy little fuckjob?
Rita: Assuming you mean Eric, I doubt it. He was unconscious on the floor last I saw of him. Hardly a well-executed plan if he did.
Cliff: I guess. But if this wasn’t him then who was it?
Rita: I think we’re about to find out.
From outside the door comes the sound of voices as a skinny woman with long wild hair swings it open and steps inside.
Woman: Our Lord requests your presence. Both of you. You will come.
From behind her emerge two more gaunt figures, both wielding spears. Rita recognises one of them as the man in the Hawaiian shirt from before. They approach Cliff and Rita and motion for them to stand. Rita gets up and offers a hand to Cliff as he struggles to his heavy feet. The woman turns and leads them out of the cave and down a rocky tunnel. It doesn’t take long for them both to realise they are underground. Cliff leans in to Rita and whispers as best as he can.
Cliff: This is some real Manson family shit right here…
She glances over her shoulder at the two spearmen and says nothing. They’re led down another network of small tunnels, before they’re brought to a halt before an opening in the cave wall. Warm, orange light radiates upwards, but it’s blocked by the woman as she turns around to face them. In the light, Cliff and Rita notice her mangled nose and bloodshot eyes.
Woman: You will now be granted an audience with our Lord. Show any sign of trouble and we will not hesitate to send you to the Great White God.
She turns back and Cliff and Rita shoot each other a glance. The woman goes through the opening and they follow her into a large clearing. Flames roar around them in crude sconces wedged clumsily into the jagged wall, and Cliff realises this to be the source of that warm orange glow. Above them hang pointed stalactites tangled with vines and dark vegetation, which every so often send droplets of water falling to the rough ground below. The rock around them is carved haphazardly into different nooks and crannies for one to stand upon, and all around them, stood on different levels of the cave are skinny, dishevelled people – watching them like a vulture would a fresh carcass. Some are barely clothed; others are wrapped in shreds of material that once could’ve been bright clothing. Cliff glances around at them and notices some have painted white lines across their faces. Some of them gasp as they see him, others whispering quickly to each other in an incomprehensible language. They walk a few more steps into the clearing and stop before a mass of wooden stakes tied together to resemble a throne.
Cliff: What the fuck? Okay, forget the Mansons, this shit is one hundred percent Apocalypse Now.
But no one hears Cliff as the woman leading the procession throws her arms into the air and drops to her knees, prompting everyone else in the cave to do so. Cliff and Rita stare at each other, now the only ones standing, but their attention is drawn to a shape stirring in the makeshift throne before them. Unsure how they could have missed him, a man dressed in bright red robes sits up in his seat and shakes a shock of fantastically white hair out of his face. His pale white eyes illuminate his rough, pockmarked face as he looks at the pair of them and smiles a wide, yellow smile. The woman on the ground raises her head.
Woman: My Lord – The Idol of the Great White God, and his muse.
Rita: I am no one’s muse thank you very much!
Cliff looks around confusedly as the robed man stands. He reaches into a small pot on the side of the throne and pulls out a pinch of white powder, which he promptly lifts to his nose and snorts violently. He convulses, his long white hair cascading around his face, and snaps his neck upwards to look at Cliff.
Snowflame: This-is-a-divine-moment!
His words come out in a volley of excitement. He snorts, flinches and continues.
Snowflame: My Children! Stand! F-f-f-for this day a glorious sign has been sent to us! A sign f-f-f-rom the Great White God himself!
The cave dwellers get up off their knees and stand in silence.
Snowflame: I am Snowflame; cocaine is my God! His divine knowledge burns in white-hot ecstasy through my veins!
Cliff and Rita are dumbstruck. Neither says a word.
Snowflame: Snowflame’s people have seen you yes-they-have. They watch you f-f-for hours. They tell Snowflame a sign – an Idol of the Great White God – has entered his Kingdom. Let-me-look-at-you.
He jumps down off his throne and faces Cliff.
Cliff: Uh… hello?
Snowflame: So the Idol has addressed Snowflame…
Cliff looks around uncomfortably.
Cliff: Uh, yeah… about that. I think you mighta got the wrong guy, man…
Snowflame: Heresy beyond thoughts above!
He jumps up wildly and kicks the air.
Snowflame: EYAAAAAAAAAAH!
Cliff says nothing.
Snowflame: Look, Idol… look upon your shrine and tell Snowflame he is mistaken!
Snowflame calms himself and turns and points above his throne. Painted on the cave wall is a golden head surrounded by hundreds of white dots. They all look at it for a minute before Rita scoffs.
Rita: Wait a minute… you think that’s Cliff?
Snowflame looks at her as if she has just pulled her pants down and soiled herself all over the floor.
Snowflame: Silence, heathen! Snowflame takes heed only of the Idol, not his muse! The Great White God has sent Snowflame a sign – his Idol, in the f-f-f-flesh!
He steps forwards and places his hands on Cliff’s metal cheeks.
Snowflame: Gaze upon his might. GAZE, HEATHENS!
Voices: We gaze upon his might o’ Lord!
He removes his hands from Cliff’s face. Cliff looks around and faces him.
Cliff: Wait a minute wait a minute… you think I’m like, a sign? From God?
Snowflame: The Idol has conf-f-f-fessed his sanctity!
Cliff: Well that ain’t so bad, right?
He turns to Rita. She looks at him with a mixture of annoyance and bewilderment, half convinced she’s still asleep.
Cliff: So, mister Snowflame. What do you uh… want me to do? Say a few prayers? Form a crackhead, gospel choir? Joyful-joyful Lord we snort thee and shit? I could get into that…
Rita grabs his arm and hisses at him.
Rita: May I remind you why we’re here?
Cliff: I know I know!
Rita: I’d hate to think you’re enjoying this.
Cliff: I’m not. But you gotta admit – it does look a little like me.
Rita: Are you-
Snowflame winces and spins on the spot.
Snowflame: SILENCE PLEEEEEEASE!
He looks at Cliff.
Snowflame: The Gods have sent you here to test Snowflame. Snowflame sees it written in the Snow.
He pinches some more powder from the pot and blows it into the air. Rita grunts and bats it away like an irritating wasp.
Snowflame: Snowflame shall prove his worth to the Gods by sending them your head – or die trying!
From the crowd of onlookers, a voice pipes up.
Voice: Throw him to the Hemo Goblin!
Snowflame: No, Mary. We don't... fuck no. Jeez…
Voice: Sorry.
Cliff and Rita shoot each other a glance.
Snowflame: We shall duel at the setting of the sun! A fight to the death! With the powder of the Gods on Snowflame’s side, he shall prove himself worthy to them! The winner will be victorious! YES! What say you, Idol?
Cliff: Uh…
Snowflame: It is decided! Tonight! Prepare yourself!
He claps his hands and Cliff and Rita are seized by the two spearmen. He jumps onto his throne, snorts a line, and throws a fist into the air.
Snowflame: May the Snow fall everlasting!
Voices: May the Snow fall everlasting!
Cliff and Rita can only gape silently as they are dragged out of the cave and back down the tunnels.
====================
Eric stirs, feeling the bristles of the van’s old carpet brushing his face. He sits up and groans, pain radiating from the spot where his head landed on the floor. As he massages his head, he doesn’t notice Larry sat staring right at him.
Larry: You alright?
Morden: I think so.
Larry stands abruptly and uses all his strength to seize Eric by his sweater. Now he notices him. He yelps as Larry pulls him to his feet and pushes him against the wall.
Larry: What happened to them?
Morden: To who?
Larry: Cliff and Rita! Where did they take them?
Morden: I don’t know! I don’t even know who they were!
Larry: Don’t lie to me Eric!
Morden: I swear! I didn’t have anything to do with this!
Larry: You’ve never seen those people before?
Morden: Never!
Larry pauses. He tenses his fists for a moment but releases Eric.
Larry: Dammit.
He leaves Eric and goes outside, careful to avoid the bits of broken glass scattered across the carpet. He stands at the edge of the road and opens his arms.
Larry: I could really use your help now buddy.
He looks at his chest but nothing happens.
Larry: Come on, help me! For once in your life work with me!
Nothing. He lets his arms drop disappointedly to his side and sits against the van. Eric pokes his head out nervously, assessing the situation and determines it’s safe for him to come out. He makes his way down the steps and notices one of their attacker’s spears left abandoned on the floor. He picks it up, testing its weight in his hands, and edges carefully down next to Larry.
Morden: Are you okay?
Larry: Niles is still out there, the van’s a mess, I’ve lost Cliff and Rita and the parasitic entity that lives inside me doesn’t care about my feelings. So yeah Eric, I’m great.
Eric inspects the spear silently.
Larry: I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. I don’t think it is, anyway.
Eric sighs and looks at him.
Morden: I’m sorry too. I should never have got tangled up in all this.
Larry drops his head and watches an ant crawl up his boot. Eric continues to inspect the spear.
Morden: Don’t you get hot in those?
Larry: I don’t really feel heat anymore, so no. Not really.
Morden: Oh.
He looks around for a moment, working up the courage to ask Larry something.
Morden: That thing inside you… do you mind me asking you what it is?
Larry considers for a moment, then just as Eric thinks his inquiry pointless Larry replies.
Larry: We call it the Negative Spirit.
Eric gives him a wan smile and nods. He doesn’t really know why, but Larry continues.
Larry: I was a pilot – a pretty good one, too. Flew everything. You name it, I’d do it. People started to realise this and some higher-ups recommended me as a test pilot. Of course I said yes – I jumped at the chance. I test anything and everything, fast stuff, slow stuff, stuff that’s safe, stuff that isn’t, so much so that I start to think I’m invincible. Shit happens and I get reckless; find myself signed on to this experimental project, KF-2 they called it. I remember it like it was yesterday – probably because every time I close my eyes I relive it. Everyone said it was a bad idea; that I shouldn’t do it. So like the fool I was I still did, and sure enough they were right. Flew the damn thing through this radiation belt, fried myself and the jet and, long story short, landed myself this.
He points at his chest.
Larry: It turned me radioactive, hence the bandages. Don’t worry, you’re not in any danger. People ran tests on me, and later Niles helped me to try and better understand it, but honestly? I know hardly any more about it than the day I took that flight.
He trails off, watching as the ant crawls off his boot and scurries away across the dirt. Eric takes a moment to process Larry’s tale.
Morden: Don’t you ever just… talk to it?
Larry: I’ve tried. Anyway, what the hell would I ask it?
Morden: I don’t know. Anything. My mother always used to say there’s no danger in a simple question.
Larry doesn’t reply. They share the silence for a few minutes.
Morden: I don’t think my mother ever thought I’d amount to much. Can’t say I blame her. Father left us when I was young, and I tried to be the man he wasn’t. I never was much of a leader, always the follower. But I tried. I failed, but I did try. She loved me though. I think she did. We only really had each other…
Larry: If it helps, I wasn’t much of a father either.
He picks at the spot on his boot where the ant had been.
Larry: I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.
Morden: S’okay.
He looks at the ground sadly.
Morden: You must really trust Niles, to come all the way out here.
Larry: We all do.
Morden: Must be nice, having people you can rely on like that. A family.
Larry: We’re not that close.
Morden: I think you are. Sure, you argue – who doesn’t? But I’d give anything to be respected the way they respect you. You might not see it, but I do. They followed you all this way, didn’t they?
Larry says nothing. Eric leans back against the van and stares into the mid-afternoon sky.
Morden: I wish I was a part of something… something bigger than me. All my life I’ve been the follower, and look where it’s got me. No offence.
Larry raises a forgiving hand.
Morden: When you found me, you said I could be a part of something. No one has ever been like that to me. I don’t know… I wanted to say thank you I guess.
Larry sits up and looks out into the trees for a moment. He takes a breath and looks at his chest as it begins to slowly pulsate. He pats it carefully.
Larry: I guess I’d better start thinking of something to say to the Spirit, huh?
He gets up, brushes himself off and offers a hand to Eric. Eric grabs it and with his other hand picks up the spear.
Larry: Come on, let’s go find the others.
The van stands alone once more as they trudge over the ditch and into the trees.
PC release date confirmed as 12 August worldwide. Sean Murray also notes it will have 21:9 widescreen support.
E3 2016: Watch all the E3 PC game trailers.
Not much of a photograph, but today I saw the fifty-second confirmed bird species in the yard, not including flyovers. White-throated sparrow, backyard Olympia.
7. pine-siskins
8. bushtits
11. brown creepers
12. crows
13. flickers
16. starlings
17. mourning doves
21. house finches
22. gold finches
26. stellar's jays
28. fox-sparrows
30. song-sparrows
31. house sparrows
34. varied thrushes
35. hermit thrushes
41. black-throated gray warblers
42. bewick's wrens
43. pacific wrens
44. cedar waxwings
46. cooper's hawks
47. lazuli buntings
48. hutton's vireos
50. western tanagers
52. White-throated sparrow
Sibling Juveniles
American Dipper
(Cinclus mexicanus)
Goldstream Provincial Park
Vancouver Island BC
DSCN9030
Photo Doc w challenging light conditions
stream still has enough current for water droplets thrown up from rocks
wonderful to see breeding success for this species which is relatively limited in Greater Victoria
there is discussion as to whether 'dipper"
is only referring to "dipping " in to water (as in the only North American passerine to actively forage in and under water)
or if
it also refers to the signature pumping "dipping motion" which has caused the one individual to be blurred in this photo
;)
NASCAR confirmed it will run its Car of Tomorrow in every race next year. The original rollout schedule covered three years: 16 races this year, 26 next year and all 36 by 2009. But the schedule was changed after recent races at Bristol, Martinsville, Phoenix, Richmond and Darlington. The COT will be used twice more this year at Dover and Loudon and once each at Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Martinsville and Phoenix.
Confirmed March for The S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier! And the Elves.
Plus all other stuff if you care to read about them...
Taken just east of Salthouse, on the North Norfolk coast.
Very overcast with intermittent rain showers.
Stejneger's stonechat was generally considered a subspecies of either common stonechat (as Saxicola torquatus stejnegeri) or Siberian stonechat (as Saxicola maurus stejnegeri), but recent genetic evidence has shown that it is distinct, in a basal position in the common stonechat superspecies on which basis it is now accepted as a distinct species.
This is a new species for me, these were the first shots I got when the bird was quite distant.
.... Canada surpassed 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on October 19th, 2020, marking a grim milestone for the country as provinces work to control the second wave of the pandemic. That amounts to 532 cases per 100,000 people in a country of 38 million. Canada also announced that its border with the United States would remain closed until at least Nov. 21, as cases in the U.S. remain high.
Well the doctor confirmed Friday that my back cannot be fixed without another back fusion. I can't say I'm really looking forward to it, but getting out of the pain and walking again without the help of family and a walker will be nice, I have had to go through two back surgeries before but only one was a fusion. I am going to have to take care of my back a lot more this time than before. There will have to be some lifestyle changes, but most important I should be able to go back to work in a couple of months and get back to enjoying a lot of what I love, taking pictures, riding my harley and the most important part spending time with the family. I work for a great company that will take care of me while I'm down so no worries there. I'm not sure when the surgery is going to take place the doctor is trying to move his schedule around and get it done this week. So keep your fingers crossed for the sooner the better and let the healing time begin. Thank you all so much for all the kind wishes and keeping me in your prayers it means more to me then you'll ever know. I don't keep a lot of contact, but I do keep the best and I consider you all great friends.
The Flicker was feeding the fledglings by regurgitating grubs.
As a member of the Pennsylvania Breeding bird atlas, our goal is to confirm breeding for species of birds.
Schubert Symphony number 5
Scientists using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed the presence of electrically-charged molecules in space shaped like soccer balls, shedding light on the mysterious contents of the interstellar medium (ISM) – the gas and dust that fills interstellar space.
Since stars and planets form from collapsing clouds of gas and dust in space, “The diffuse ISM can be considered as the starting point for the chemical processes that ultimately give rise to planets and life,” said Martin Cordiner of the Catholic University of America, Washington. “So fully identifying its contents provides information on the ingredients available to create stars and planets.” Cordiner, who is stationed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is lead author of a paper on this research published April 22nd in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
The molecules identified by Cordiner and his team are a form of carbon called “Buckminsterfullerene,” also known as “Buckyballs,” which consists of 60 carbon atoms (C60) arranged in a hollow sphere. C60 has been found in some rare cases on Earth in rocks and minerals, and can also turn up in high-temperature combustion soot.
C60 has been seen in space before. However, this is the first time an electrically charged (ionized) version has been confirmed to be present in the diffuse ISM. The C60 gets ionized when ultraviolet light from stars tears off an electron from the molecule, giving the C60 a positive charge (C60+). “The diffuse ISM was historically considered too harsh and tenuous an environment for appreciable abundances of large molecules to occur,” said Cordiner. “Prior to the detection of C60, the largest known molecules in space were only 12 atoms in size. Our confirmation of C60+ shows just how complex astrochemistry can get, even in the lowest density, most strongly ultraviolet-irradiated environments in the Galaxy.”
Life as we know it is based on carbon-bearing molecules, and this discovery shows complex carbon molecules can form and survive in the harsh environment of interstellar space. “In some ways, life can be thought of as the ultimate in chemical complexity,” said Cordiner. “The presence of C60 unequivocally demonstrates a high level of chemical complexity intrinsic to space environments, and points toward a strong likelihood for other extremely complex, carbon-bearing molecules arising spontaneously in space.”
Most of the ISM is hydrogen and helium, but it’s spiked with many compounds that haven’t been identified. Since interstellar space is so remote, scientists study how it affects the light from distant stars to identify its contents. As starlight passes through space, elements and compounds in the ISM absorb and block certain colors (wavelengths) of the light. When scientists analyze starlight by separating it into its component colors (spectrum), the colors that have been absorbed appear dim or are absent. Each element or compound has a unique absorption pattern that acts as a fingerprint allowing it to be identified. However, some absorption patterns from the ISM cover a broader range of colors, which appear different from any known atom or molecule on Earth. These absorption patterns are called Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs). Their identity has remained a mystery ever since they were discovered by Mary Lea Heger, who published observations of the first two DIBs in 1922.
A DIB can be assigned by finding a precise match with the absorption fingerprint of a substance in the laboratory. However, there are millions of different molecular structures to try, so it would take many lifetimes to test them all.
“Today, more than 400 DIBs are known, but (apart from the few newly attributed to C60+), none has been conclusively identified,” said Cordiner. “Together, the appearance of the DIBs indicate the presence of a large amount of carbon-rich molecules in space, some of which may eventually participate in the chemistry that gives rise to life. However, the composition and characteristics of this material will remain unknown until the remaining DIBs are assigned.”
Decades of laboratory studies have failed to find a precise match with any DIBs until the work on C60+. In the new work, the team was able to match the absorption pattern seen from C60+ in the laboratory to that from Hubble observations of the ISM, confirming the recently claimed assignment by a team from University of Basel, Switzerland, whose laboratory studies provided the required C60+ comparison data. The big problem for detecting C60+ using conventional, ground-based telescopes, is that atmospheric water vapor blocks the view of the C60+ absorption pattern. However, orbiting above most of the atmosphere in space, the Hubble telescope has a clear, unobstructed view. Nevertheless, they still had to push Hubble far beyond its usual sensitivity limits to stand a chance of detecting the faint fingerprints of C60+.
The observed stars were all blue supergiants, located in the plane of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. The Milky Way's interstellar material is primarily located in a relatively flat disk, so lines of sight to stars in the Galactic plane traverse the greatest quantities of interstellar matter, and therefore show the strongest absorption features due to interstellar molecules.
The detection of C60+ in the diffuse ISM supports the team’s expectations that very large, carbon-bearing molecules are likely candidates to explain many of the remaining, unidentified DIBs. This suggests that future laboratory efforts measure the absorption patterns of compounds related to C60+, to help identify some of the remaining DIBs.
The team is seeking to detect C60+ in more environments to see just how widespread buckyballs are in the Universe. According to Cordiner, based on their observations so far, it seems that C60+ is very widespread in the Galaxy.
This work was funded by NASA under a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C. NASA is exploring our Solar System and beyond, uncovering worlds, stars, and cosmic mysteries near and far with our powerful fleet of space and ground-based missions.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
For more information: www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/soccer-balls-in-space