Operation Smile :)
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+ Another Story of Secondlife.
- The Anti Heroic Record of Dissonance.
:: Started Operation Super Hero Zekutoman ::
+ Captain Jackson.
- Special Assault Team [.Raven Claw.] Commander.
+ Captain Mauro.
- Skull Soldier Squad [.Mauro Squad.]
Spearhead’s mission commander.
Zekutoman!
The opposite of justice is not evil,but another justice...
The weak shall fall to Hell! For the strong are always beautiful!
Let's have fun! 😉
Rail Operations Groups (ROG) 37611 'Pegasus' passes through Waterbeach, working the 0Z03 1541 Norwich to Bishops Stortford route learning / refresher run.
NS 21D getting ready to depart Charleston's Seven Mile Yard. The OLS Unit which was working as a Yard Switcher had come towards the outer limits of the Yard to pick some cars.
A former Wisconsin & Southern OLS SD20 sits quietly at a Cargill elevator in Nebraska as mother nature puts on a light show
I apologise if I have been a little quiet recently but the truth is that I have been on a bit of a treasure hunt. I've been scouring Google Earth satellite views looking for a credible site, and investigating a story. And yesterday, as I trudged through a thick forest, miles from the nearest road, I found my quest. I had already found my way through the gathering rain and wind of Storm Chandra to one clearing in the depths of a dark and dense forest, and discovered it was empty, no matter how hard I looked and checked. Fortunately I had memorised the What 3 Words position for a second possible clearing and made my way deeper into the forest, nervous I might not be able to find my way back. My phone indicated the distance was shortening, 1400 feet, 900 feet, 450 feet, etc, and as I crested a slight rise amongst the tall lichen encrusted pines, wiry heather and fallen branches my eyes picked out a structure immediately in front of me, perhaps 20 yards away, part hidden in a shallow dip on the edge of some ragged gap in the trees. I can't relate the feeling as my eyes fell on the rusty car: it was one of elated discovery and relief that all my research had paid off.
Rudolf Hess was Adolf Hitler's deputy and at the height of World War II escaped Germany by stealing a Messerschmitt Bf110 and flying it solo to Britain where he bailed out just south of Glasgow in Scotland. He made this desperate journey believing he could negotiate peace between Britain and Germany. He was tried at the Nuremberg war Trials in 1946 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Whilst awaiting trial he was visited several times by wartime associates, sometimes under false identity. One such was Otto Skorzeny who falsely identified himself as Hess’s wartime aide and adjutant, Karlheinz Haushofer, to gain admission to Spandau prison. In prison meetings with Hess, it's believed that Hess suggested Skorzeny make a new life in Ireland using organised 'ratlines' to secretly travel to ‘safe’ states around the world. A plan was devised to use the postwar chaos to go to ‘neutral’ Ireland via Scotland where he knew a place he had fallen in love with on childhood holidays with his family. Hess suggested how this might be done as part of the ongoing Operation Surgeon, a means of moving 'gifted' scientists and engineers from Nazi's war machine to Britain to avoid them, and their knowledge, falling into Russian hands. Whilst Skorzeny was a distinguished SS soldier, having led the raid to rescue Mussolini he had no authentic scientific or technical aptitude. Nonetheless the ratline network provided him with papers showing he had been involved in experimental work studying high altitude hypoxia and his knowledge could be of value to the Royal Air Force rather than risk him assisting the Russians.
He was informed a car would be supplied and made available to collect from Sheerness docks where so much Allied wartime military material and equipment was being returned to from Germany. Inevitably it was an anonymous German car with left hand drive that fell into Skorzeny's hands and he drove it north heading to the location he had been given. The car was slow and heavy, but he stuck to back roads over several days working his way up to Scotland, sleeping rough in the small car. No record exists of the registration of the car although it was known to be a 1940s Opel Olympia. He made it to the secluded forest where Hess’s family had holidayed before the War, and swam in the nearby loch. But he had taken a wrong turn and driven rough down a deer trail between the trees until the car became bogged down in a hollow. He had tried his utmost to get out, but knew the impediment of the weight in the back meant his journey would end. He struck out on foot with no idea which way to go and after several hours walking could hear some forestry workers. He watched them from behind the trees for a while before summoning up the courage to approach them. They turned out to be German POWs (prisoners of war) and when they could escape their supervisors they would come and help him move the car. Inevitably they noticed that the back of the car was bogged down, trapped in the soft forest floor by its own weight. Curious as to why it was so heavy one of the men forced open the boot with his shovel and spotted the heavy gold bars wrapped in cloth What happened after that has never been proven. But Otto Skorzeny did make it to Ireland, where he had the means to start a new life in some comfort. But the two German POWs were never heard of again and on their disappearance from the work gang were assumed to have fled to Germany. Some suggested the captured soldiers may have recognised the tall stranger with the duelling scar on his face, and were killed for their knowledge, and buried deep in the forest. And the car mystery remained, a left hand drive German car, undiscovered and hidden in the middle of a dense Scottish forest miles from the nearest road. The gold?…….well, it’s never been found. Although rumours persist that Germany's most celebrated commando, Skorenzy, helped train the IRA and the gold bought a few ArmaLites
And for those wondering, this is not ChatGPT created!
Obsidian Task Force has now secretly invaded Germany, and are now undergoing an attack on the capitol.
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LMG stuff.
Also my Best Brickr against Agentsarr, good luck to him!
Please comment if you fav, especially you Jake. ;)
We stumbled by chance on a coast guard rescue operation while visiting Las Teresitas.
Helicopter and boats were searching around a specific spot on the coast.
We checked later and found out that tragically two young swimmers got trapped in a small cave and drowned before help arrived.
Another angle from a fun day spent on Pan Am's Connecticut outpost a few weeks ago. It is right here where they would derail a bit later when trying to spot their loads ending both their day and mine!
Just around the bend from the highest point reached by rail in the state of Connecticut Pan Local PL-1 waits to back into the Firestone Building Products Yard near the end of track at the top of the Terryville Loop Track to pull a half dozen empty tank cars and one empty steel car pulled earlier from ClarkDietrich. This customer operates out of a portion of the huge 1.2 million square ft former General Motors New Departures ball bearing plant that was in operation from 1969 to 1995 and to this day remains the largest industrial building under one roof in all of the six New England states.
To learn more about this branch and Pan Am's Connecticut lines check out the long form captions with these earlier posts:
Bristol, Connecticut
Thursday March 5, 2021
Operation Shingle (January 22, 1944), during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an attack on Rome. The resulting combat is commonly called the Battle of Anzio. (Read the article on wikipedia).
Unfortunately, this is only a very small part of the cemetery.
HDR from three exposures.
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Operation Plunder was an allied crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel and the south of the Lippe River by the British Second army and the United state 9th army. Operation varsity was the airborne part of Operation plunder and Operation Archway was a SAS landing that was part of it as well.
The Operation was an overall success for the Allies as they have learned from their mistake of having poorly planned airborne operations like Operation Market Garden.
Not a lot can be said other than that it was another nail hammered into Nazi Germanys coffin.
Here you see Canadian soldiers and British Paratroopers assisting each other.
These photographs document the platform area at Starnberg station, not the main station building. The visible structure consists primarily of historic iron columns and beams that remain in active use but show clear signs of aging: corrosion, flaking paint, and uneven maintenance. What was once a coherent architectural system has become a fragmented, utilitarian framework.
The original platform roofs are completely gone. In their place, the iron skeleton stands exposed to weather and light. Rather than being restored, the structure has been stabilized through added construction: scaffolding, bracing elements, and protective netting that cut across the original geometry. This creates a layered visual language of old infrastructure and temporary reinforcement.
A newer canopy appears only in selected areas, mainly above stair access points. This roof is made of corrugated sheet metal (Wellblech) and serves a purely functional role. It offers basic protection but no architectural continuity with the historic structure. Large sections of the platforms remain open.
The site reflects the character of a “lost place” in operation. It is neither fully preserved nor abandoned. Ongoing disputes between heritage protection (Denkmalschutz), ownership responsibilities, and questions of funding for repair and upkeep have left the platforms in a state of visual and structural limbo. The result is an environment where historical fabric survives, but without clear restoration strategy.
Access is partially restricted through fenced zones and controlled pathways. This affects circulation and accessibility, including limited or indirect wheelchair access. The station continues to function, yet the platform space feels provisional — maintained just enough to operate, but not enough to recover its former architectural identity.
From a photographic perspective, the focus lies on the exposed iron framework, the absence of the original roof, and the contrast between historic construction and pragmatic modern additions. The images document a transitional state: a working railway platform that visually reads as a relic.
Traffic rolls on as 93M and it's lone Operation Lifesaver GP38-2 glide over Herr Street in downtown Harrisburg as they return to Harrisburg Yard from the Steelton Industrial Track.
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Staff Sgt. George Shaughnessy from Coalition Joint Special Operation Task Force disseminates newspapers to the crowd of curious on Oct. 26, 2002. Soldiers from 489th Civil Affairs Battalion and support from 9th and 8th Psychological Operations, Ft. Bragg, N.C., deliver a humanitarian aid package to Nejhab, a village in Afghanistan. The package includes 10 medium size tents, 250 blankets, and three medical kits for the villagers before the colder seasons begin. (U.S. Army photo taken by Spc. Eric E. Hughes) (Released)
To learn more about living and serving in Korea with the US Army, visit our official website at: imcom.korea.army.mil
Whether you are fresh off of active-duty, a military spouse or a seasoned professional, you will find a career with U.S. Army in Korea both challenging and inspiring. If you ready to join an award winning team and embark on the adventure of a lifetime, you can learn more about living and working in Korea online: imcom.korea.army.mil
Photos from the US Army in Korea can be viewed online at www.flickr.com/imcomkorea
The Morning Calm Weekly command information newspaper is available online at imcom.korea.army.mil
Published for those serving in the Republic of Korea - an assignment of choice.
About this image: Operation Enduring Freedom. A Department of Defense Image Collection.
These images are generally cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the Department of Defense and individual photographer.
To learn more about living and serving in Korea with the US Army, visit our official website at: imcom.korea.army.mil
Whether you are fresh off of active-duty, a military spouse or a seasoned professional, you will find a career with U.S. Army in Korea both challenging and inspiring. If you ready to join an award winning team and embark on the adventure of a lifetime, you can learn more about living and working in Korea online: imcom.korea.army.mil
Photos from the US Army in Korea can be viewed online at www.flickr.com/imcomkorea
The Morning Calm Weekly command information newspaper is available online at imcom.korea.army.mil
Published for those serving in the Republic of Korea - an assignment of choice.
About this image: Operation Enduring Freedom. A Department of Defense Image Collection.
These images are generally cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the Department of Defense and individual photographer.
To learn more about living and serving in Korea with the US Army, visit our official website at: imcom.korea.army.mil
Whether you are fresh off of active-duty, a military spouse or a seasoned professional, you will find a career with U.S. Army in Korea both challenging and inspiring. If you ready to join an award winning team and embark on the adventure of a lifetime, you can learn more about living and working in Korea online: imcom.korea.army.mil
Photos from the US Army in Korea can be viewed online at www.flickr.com/imcomkorea
The Morning Calm Weekly command information newspaper is available online at imcom.korea.army.mil
Published for those serving in the Republic of Korea - an assignment of choice.
About this image: Operation Enduring Freedom. A Department of Defense Image Collection.
These images are generally cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given the Department of Defense and individual photographer.
There are 35 images in my Burrowing Owl album - this photo shows one of the first and only Burrowing Owls that I have ever been fortunate enough to see in the wild. To say that it was a thrill is an understatement! These endangered owls are tiny and so difficult to see, especially when they are down in the grasses. They are a true delight when or if they are seen on a fence post, so that the whole of the bird can be seen, not just a bright yellow eye peering out between the blades of grass. We saw two different individuals, possibly three, and for a brief moment both were perched on distant fence posts at the same time. Most of the time, though, they were mainly hidden in the grass, so my photos tend to be of "eyes". Such a great pity that this is an endangered species!
Without the help of two friends (Ron and Joyce) who helped us know where we might find these birds, and friends Cathy and Terry who invited me to go with them on a wonderful three-day trip to Waterton Lakes National Park, I would never have had this amazing sighting. For years, I had longed to see a wild Burrowing Owl, but never thought it would actually happen! Same for Cathy and Terry, so all three of us are SO grateful for the help we received! I'm still on a natural high and I know I will be for some time yet : )
During out three days away, we saw so many things, I hardly know where to start. This always happens when I go anywhere with Cathy and Terry - every day is a very long, fun-filled day, full of exciting finds.
Perhaps I will simply mention some of the things and then add more detail to each photo as I add them to my photostream. Of course, we couldn't have had a more beautiful area to explore! Waterton Lakes National Park has amazing scenery and wildlife. The weather forecast that I saw before we left Calgary said that we were in for three beautiful days of sunshine - too often, it can be rainy weather. So, luck was on our side, giving us warm, sunny days - until the BIG STORM hit, lol! We drove eastwards from the park, hoping to see Yellow-bellied Marmots and, if we were really lucky, a Burrowing Owl. Yesterday, I posted a photo of the storm that was approaching very fast, around 5:00 p.m. just before we started our return trip to Calgary. It was like nothing I had ever seen before - a menacing shelf (?) cloud that was travelling fast and furious. Despite trying our best to get away from it, it eventually engulfed our car, surrounding us with more or less zero visibility, pounding hail, thunder and lightning. There was nothing to do but stop the car and sit tight, hoping that the hail would not break the car windows and that this severe thunderstorm would not develop into a tornado! This storm was very scary, but at the same time, exciting (only because all turned out OK in the end!). Our road trip sure went out with a bang! Someone from the Alberta Tornado Watch told me that this particular storm was a Mesocyclone.
So, a few of the things we saw - fantastic scenery, 4 Black Bears (including one that was swimming in the lake), Bison, Deer, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, various bird species including the Burrowing Owls, a few wildflowers, several Yellow-bellied Marmots (a first for me!), a few different insect species, and a family of Dusky Grouse (uncommon in Waterton Lakes National Park). I even got the chance to see three or four new-to-me old, wooden grain elevators.
Cathy and Terry, thanks so much for yet another wonderful trip with you! Can't thank you enough for inviting me along. You always do such a great job of finding so many interesting things for us to see and enjoy. Lots of fun!
"As a result of the Burrowing Owl's ENDANGERED Species status in 1995, it has the focus of a variety of conservation efforts. Operation Burrowing Owl and other projects involving habitat preservation with landowners have been created. Populations are monitored by Fish and Wildlife departments. They have been reintroduced into the British Columbia interior, where it was extirpated. Outlook would improve if larger areas of habitat were preserved and harmful pesticides were banned in all areas of their range. Numbers could increase if an increased tolerance to burrowing mammals develops (i.e. badgers) – provides homes for the Burrowing Owl. Outlook: perilous." From burrowingowl.com.
"During the EU attacks on the Warsaw Pact, Belarus was the last remaining resistance before a full scale EU invasion on the Russian mainland could take place. After losing multiple Shock Trooper Battalions during attacks on Minsk, EU Commandos were deployed behind enemy lines in order to sabotage the Warsaw Pact communication.'
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For the Purge.
A McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) CF-18 "Hornet" (official military designation CF-188) (S/N 188791) from the Canadian Air Task Force Lithuania flies beside a Portuguese General Dynamics (its aviation unit now part of Lockheed Martin) F-16 "Fighting Falcon" (S/N 15102) over Lithuania on September 15, 2014 for the NATO Baltic Air Policing Block 36 during Operation REASSURANCE.
most years a snapping turtle lays her eggs in the median of the parking lot where I work. The turtles hatched and operation get them in the right direction has commenced.
A Union Pacific Operation Lifesaver Special cruises effortlessly through Utah's Morgan Valley near the small town of Enterprise on Aug. 8, 2016.
XH671 Victor K.2 55 Squadron RAF, on approach for RAF Fairford for IAT1991. Scanned from a Kodachrome 64 slide.
In organising this stealth operation times were agreed, watches synchronised and 4 troops would meet at the given time.
Officer Dixon and Fly by the seat of his pants Pedlar had assembled at the RV point, yet no signs of the other 2 soldiers.
Polite whistling was exchanged between OD & FP to while away a bit of time, but still no show.
So the two dedicated soldiers decided to put on their combat equipment, namely wellies and set off alone on this mission.
As the two soldiers were almost approaching the venue to be photographed, their attention was drawn to a lady several metres up the cliff face sitting at a table of the Port William pub, waving her arms in an uncoordinated manner, shouting “get up here, my glass is empty again, your round”.
So the two soldiers duly obliged where they joined Christine and Dave.
With glasses charged a thoroughly enjoyable 4 way conversation ensued in one of the most idyllic drinking locations on the north coast of Cornwall.
Following a whole load of banter it was felt while we were still able to walk we had better head down and see what we could load onto our memory cards at Trebarwith Strand.
So good to meet up again Christine, Dave and Mark.
Hope you all have a great weekend out there in Flickerland.
I so appreciate you viewing my photos and leaving the comments and banter
👍🍺🍺🍺🍷🍷🍷😎😂😂😂
Almost done for the season! All the volunteers and most of the staff are finished for this year. Just the shippers remain, but have a break right now until January 7th. The remainder of all the shoebox gifts are destined for West Africa. We will start to ship on January 9th. I will be part of this, along with my son.
Happy New Year, my Flickr friends! I will be out of the country on a road trip until January 6th.
37 800 Cassiopeia takes ex Great Northern EMU 365540 on its final journey past Ashbury Crossing, Shrivenham as 5Q76 05:30 Doncaster Belmont Down Yard - Newport Docks for scrapping
Canadian Armed Forces provide air mobile support of MINUSMA personnel and equipment during Operation PRESENCE-Mali, November 28, 2018.
Photo: Corporal Ken Beliwicz
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Les Forces armées canadiennes assurent le soutien mobile aérien du personnel et de l’équipement de la MINUSMA au cours de l’opération PRESENCE Mali, le 28 novembre 2018.
Photo : Caporal Ken Beliwicz
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A special operations forces team is tasked to intercept a convoy heading to a terrorist cell. The convoy is carrying a crate containing VX nerve gas. The team's objective is to ambush the convoy and retrieve the crate of VX gas.
After recovering the VX gas, the team was extracted by two HH-60 helicopters
Final part of Operation Alcatraz.