John Paul Jones is often considered one of the Fathers of the United States Navy. He was a privateer who joined the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. However, since he worked with mercenaries, pirates, and other soldiers of fortune under his command, he found himself betrayed by his own crew on more thanContinue reading “He Has Not Yet Begun to Fight”
Tag Archives: history
Historic Events: John Paul Jones’ Whiteraven Raid
On this day, 244 years ago on April 10, 1778, John Paul Jones set sail aboard the USS Ranger from Brest, France on mission to harass British ships near the mainland. John Paul Jones was commissioned as a first lieutenant with the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775. His crew on the USS Ranger, however,Continue reading “Historic Events: John Paul Jones’ Whiteraven Raid”
Friends Forged In Fire: A Haiku Series
In 1853, Matthew Perry led four ships into Tokyo Bay to establish formal ties between the United States and Japan for the first time. Others had tried before, but none were successful. Perry’s mission was to secure safe harbor for shipwrecked Americans and gain permission for U.S. ships to refuel and resupply at Japanese ports.Continue reading “Friends Forged In Fire: A Haiku Series”
And So Comes A New Year
And so passes another year on this journey of ours we call life. We carry on, hoping to be better moving forward than we were in the past. For many, that is the goal, and so it should be. Without that drive to continually improve ourselves, we lay stagnant and decay. Atrophy sets in andContinue reading “And So Comes A New Year”
November 7: Victims of Communism Memorial Day
On November 7, 1917, Vladimir Lenin led Bolshevik forces to seize power in Russia by capturing government offices in Saint Petersburg. The Bolshevik Revolution was complete and the Soviet Union came into being. Many have argued that for this reason, November 7th should be the internationally-recognized Victims of Communism Memorial Day. Since that day, numerousContinue reading “November 7: Victims of Communism Memorial Day”
The Hammer of Man: A Haiku Series
October is host to the anniversary of the Battle of Tours, a less impactful, but no highly symbolic skirmish in human history. Also referred to as the Battle of Poitiers, was a skirmish fought between the Frankish Carolingians and the Umayyad Caliphate on October 10, 732. The exact location of the skirmish is unknown, takingContinue reading “The Hammer of Man: A Haiku Series”
Historic Events: The Battle of Lepanto
Hundreds of years of Muslim conquests came to a head at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7 in the year 1571. Islamic forces had been spreading through force of arms, capturing or pillaging every Christian settlement across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. The Ottoman Empire had formed out of TurkeyContinue reading “Historic Events: The Battle of Lepanto”
Heroes From History: Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi was a Japanese samurai who lived between the years of 1584-1645. He was originally known as Miyamoto Masana, but later changed his name. Musashi was also known by the name Niten, which was his artistic name he attributed to his later paintings and sculptures. Musashi is famous for having partaken in at leastContinue reading “Heroes From History: Miyamoto Musashi”
Heroes From History: Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner
Human history is filled with stories about bravery, brotherhood, and the power of friendship. There are many instances throughout the existence of our species which exemplify these traits and inspire us to be better than we are. This is one of those tales, which despite not having the happiest of endings, speaks to the importanceContinue reading “Heroes From History: Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner”
What Does It Mean to Be Brave?
“Brave” is an adjective which can be defined as “willing to do things which are difficult or dangerous without showing fear.” So, a person who is brave has the willingness to take on dangerous and/or difficult tasks without showing fear. Does that mean they are not afraid? Not necessarily. Of course, fear can be anContinue reading “What Does It Mean to Be Brave?”
The Pensive Warrior 