OK so most of you know I've stopped watching the news. I may have stopped watching it, but I still see news stories on social media and in other news sources. This one caught my eye. I have a soft spot in my heart for anything Beirut. My wife lived there, and my late father-in-law served there for many years. So whenever this story popped up on my feed, I clicked on it to see what it was all about. If you haven't seen it, I would strongly suggest you Google it and watch it. Not that I'm a big proponent of tragic stories, but when I saw it on video, I was literally stunned by it. So much so, that I posted on social media calling it "the biggest blast caught on camera since Hiroshima." Of course someone corrected me and said, the biggest blast prior to this Beirut blast, was in fact Nagasaki. Which is true.
But Hiroshima being the first, was the one we all remember.
But it's true. Hiroshima was on August 6th, 1945 and Nagasaki was on August 9th, 1945 exactly 75 years ago today. But back to the Beirut blast. That was insane. Over 100 people killed instantly and thousands wounded. That toll may have gone up since I last read about it. Regardless, it was a massive explosion. I've never seen anything quite like it. And while I'm sure they are still investigating the actual cause, there's no doubt as to how powerful this blast was. It was felt by neighboring countries. Including Cyprus which is over 150 miles away. Yeah, it was the biggest blast since Nagasaki.
Watching the news clips on social media I had to break my current news fast, and put on the news. This blast coupled with TS ISAIAS was news worthy. So yeah, I watched the news. Or rather watched this story and the Tropical Storm story. It was as I just mentioned, worthy of tuning in.
And the irony of this week being the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing did not escape me. I suppose I need to investigate further on the actual cause of the Beirut bomb. The potential sources of what happened is pretty alarming.
If this was a pure accident? People need to be held accountable for this major blunder. That fact that so many people died, and thousands upon thousands were injured? Well, this needs to be addressed. Sooner rather than later.
So 75 years ago this week the United States and her allies dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan. On August 6th, 1945 we dropped one on Hiroshima. I think they were all banking on Japan's supreme leader Hirohito to surrender after the bombing of Hiroshima. Of course he refused. Which then led to bomb number two. This needs repeating. Hirohito after learning that 140,000 people died in the blast in Hiroshima refused to surrender.
It took that second blast to wake his stupid ass up.
And that second blast? Yeah 74,000 people perished in that one. And even then, he didn't surrender until two weeks later. I'm sure his peeps were trying to delicately point out "Look Hiro, if we don't surrender, the next one could be on your head. Come down off your white horse (he did have a white horse) and bend the knee. This party is over."
From Pearl Harbor to Nagasaki the United States lost over 400,000 lives.
Let that figure sink in. 400,000 Americans died fighting Hitler and his Nazis and Hirohito and the Great Empire of Japan. But here's what most Americans didn't know. The Japanese had become so fanatical in the last two Island campaigns on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, that the "conservative" estimates of how many more Americans would have died if they had to invade the mainland of Japan was over ONE MILLION. Think about that for a second or two. One million Americans on top of the already staggering figure of 400,000? Here let me help paint a clearer picture for you.
My father and my uncles had fought on Okinawa and Iwo Jima.
The fanatical Japanese were fighting to the death, and had already employed the use of Kamikazes. In other words, they refused to surrender and they trained young pilots to crash their airplanes into our Navy ships. They killed thousands of Americans
on Iwo and Okinawa. My father and my uncles were preparing to attack the mainland of Japan.
They were understandably a little uptight about their chances.
Some of you who are reading this right now had the same scenarios in your families. Perhaps your father, or your grandfathers were one of those men. So when people question whether or not it was right to drop those bombs? I never hesitate to answer. YES. 100% YES!
I know thats a little harsh to hear for some of you. But if you simply read a little history of what the Japanese did during WWII you will clearly understand the reasons why we had to do what we did. The Japan we all know and love today was not the same Japan we knew during WWII. The same with Germany. It's all written in your history books. Better yet Google it. Look up the atrocities the Japanese did during WWII. From the Rape of Nanking, to the Bataan death march. It's all there for you to see. But be forewarned, it is horrific and graphic.
But, here's an easier way to see what our lives might be like if we didn't drop the bomb. If my dad had been killed fighting the Japanese on their homeland? Guess what? No Blog. No nothing from me. And that would be true a million times over across our great nation. The historical landscape would be vastly different from what it is today. Just stop and use your imagination. What if a million more Americans died fighting on the mainland of Japan? Think of what that would mean to so many of us. Think about it.
Let's just hope and pray that 75 years ago today, was the LAST time anyone used a nuclear bomb on anyone.
OK so of course the shark sightings are trickling back in. White Sharks are out there. But didn't we already know that? Yes we did.
H-m-m-m. I heard a conflicting report that this was just a basking shark. But hey, who am I to deny a good story. This got everyone buzzing this week.
So last week I posted the Sharkbanz ad. One of my readers went out and bought one. Then he read the fine print. I think it's funny that they use a Great white shark in their advertising. But they don't work on White Sharks?
READ THE HIGHLIGHTED SECTION. And check out their ad below.
"Surfing, Nuclear Bombs, and Sharkbanz Heals All Wounds."
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This week's Ed's corner is from the 4th of July the summer of 2009. The surfer is Hoku Nichols. I always enjoyed watching all three of the Nichols girls out surfing together both in the free surfs and the comps they all surfed in. Hoku still surfs, but in the Islands mostly. She's out there with her sister Julia and her two nieces. The Nichols Ohana lives on in Oahu. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.
Now for Some Local and National News
Not gonna lie. I was both saddened and upset about this story.
9 US Servicemen lost their lives last week off the coast of San Clemente Island. 8 Marines and one Navy Corpsman. Yet all you hear about is COVID and BLM. And that to me, is pretty sad. These young Marines lose their lives, and there's hardly a blip on the media radar. All we hear about is COVID and BLM. We are lost. It's another reason why I stopped watching the news. It's all the same bullshit 24-7.
The craft had 16 men on board when it started to take on water.
7 of the young Marines were able to get out before the craft sank.
It must have been terrifying for them all. The survivors and the victims. May God Bless their souls and comfort their families.
Authorities on Friday recovered the bodies of nine people killed when a Marine landing craft sank in hundreds of feet of water off the Southern California coast, authorities said.
The remains of seven Marines and a Navy sailor were found after underwater salvage operations that followed the sinking on July 30. They will be flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to be prepared for burial by mortuary affairs teams, according to a statement Friday night from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
The remains “will then be released to their families in accordance with their wishes,” the statement said.
The amphibious vehicle sank in 385 feet (117 meters) of water as it headed back to a Navy ship after completing routine training, the military said. The craft sank less than a mile from San Clemente Island off the coast of San Diego. A diving and salvage ship carrying special equipment arrived on Thursday and recovered the bodies and the vehicle, the military said.
Eight other people were rescued but one died at the scene. He was identified as Marine Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 19, of New Braunfels, Texas. His body was flown to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday.
Left to Right, top row: Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19, of Corona, Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wis. Christopher Gnem, 22, of California. bottom row: Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood , 19, from Portland, Ore. Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, Calif. Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Ore. and Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, from Harris, Texas.
SEMPER FIDELIS To You All My Brothers. Rest in Peace.
An old friend of mine lost his son last week. Scott Moulton is a local surfer
and I've known him for many years. His son Hayden passed away and left behind a loving family and some very close friends. Hayden also left behind his precious young daughter Renee. She was the light of his life.
The family has started a trust fund page to help her in the future, and more importantly, to keep the memory of their son Hayden alive. I've only met Hayden a few times in his life, but I've known Scotti for years. So I want to help him out in any way that I can.
If you can help donate to little Renee it would be greatly appreciated by the Mouton family and the local surf community.
Hayden with a nice looking Striper. Damn, he looks like his dad.
*Check the YESTERDAY section out, I posted a pic of his dad Scotti from 1980 that I shot in the water at The Wall.
I'm so sorry for their loss. I know this pain personally. My family went through this the summer of 2014. Rest In Peace Hayden. Watch over your little girl and your family. They are hurting.
Local NH resident Gary Ritter is going to paddle to and from
the Isle of Shoals any day now. It's a long 14 mile paddle. To learn more of this impressive undertaking click on the image below.
FYI he's going to free paddle. In other words, NO paddle. Just his arms. Laying prone or on his knees. He started a fund raiser with charity: water. So it's a legit and worthwhile endeavor. if you can spare a few dollars help make this dream come true for Gary.
Speaking of sharks...local surfer Artie Seaman has an interesting proposal here. STOP The Bleeding. It's basically a kit with a tourniquet in case someone your with gets bitten by one of the local sharks. Or one of the local seals for that matter. In any case this is worth having in your back pack or vehicle.
ESM (Eastern Surf Magazine) using a READY MAG format did the Best of Ralph's Pic. And while they couldn't possibly use everything thing I've ever done, they did manage to put up some 50 pics of mine, plus two videos. And I was truly humbled by their intro. Mez said some nice things about me. CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE THE WHOLE Spread.
KSM Photoshop of the Week
With this Blog debuting my first ever SUP video I thought I'd post this pic of Ole Khaliddy trying to escape GITMO on a rented SUP. Khaliddy didn't get very far before the Marine guards shot him with their tranquilizer guns. You got to hand it to KSM, he never gives up. Sorry Khaliddy, but it's back in the pen you go.
And so my friends, please take advantage of this weekly photo shop of the mastermind who planned 9-11 and resulted in the deaths of 3,000 innocent civilians by KSM (Khalid Sheik Mohammed).
*Note to self -must pick up a case of TV SUPPA DINNERS
at Home Depot this week.
REST IN PEACE Hayden Moulton 1994-2020.
REST IN PEACE My Brother-in-law's father Mr Brunault age 92
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kenny Linseman August 11th, 2020!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mike "Whitey" White August 16th, 2020!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Johnny Fatello August 25th, 2020
PLEASE Keep Mrs Berardini (Tony's 99 yr old mom) in your thoughts and prayers.
We'd all love to see her make it to her 100th Birthday in December. She's a fighter, but she could use some help. Your prayers can help. Thank you.
PLEASE Keep longtime NH Surfer Greg Smith in your Prayers.
Please
Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 16 years.
** BUY a HIGH RES Photo
from any of the weeks on RPOTW.
Remember
my friends... Surfing Heals All Wounds.
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.
Ralph
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