We seem to be on a roll when it comes to erasing familiar childhood faces from the planet this week.
Michael A. James, better known as Michael Jayston, had the distinction of probably looking even more like Tsar Nicholas II than old Nikolasha did, appearing as the sad-eyed emperor in Nicholas & Alexandria.
African wars buffs will, of course, better remember him from Zulu Dawn as the real-life Colonel (later Lt. Gen) Henry Hope Crealock, a hard-bitten campaigner who had fought in the Crimea and across India and China before Isandlwana and had to live with Lord Chelmsford’s terrible choices in the latter war, although he was able to carry the line “I do not make the strategies you wish to comment on. I am only His Lordship’s secretary,” in the film.
He also surfaced repeatedly in Dr. Who— back when it was still good, although not opposite Tom Baker who was ironically an unforgettable Rasputin in Nicholas and Alexandria— Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and dozens of other flickering screeens over the past half-century. He was even reportedly in the running for portraying James Bond at one time or another. . Born on 29 October 1935 in West Bridgford, he did his National Service in the 1950s with the British Army of the Rhine– crossing paths with Roger Moore who was also in the area at the time– before embarking on his stage career in 1962. He passed on Monday, aged 88.
With that in mind, in a partnership announced at the SHOT Show, the organization and SDS have teamed up with Tisas to produce a special CMP M1911A1 model for sale to the public to help fund its national youth-focused marksmanship efforts.
The production of a new-manufactured M1911 for the CMP is big news. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The .45 ACP Government model, according to SDS, will be “a museum-grade reproduction of a mid-war M1911A1 as it was issued during the Second World War.” This will include “United States Property” markings, a Type E hammer, and reproduction WWII-style brown plastic grips – although an extra set of walnut double diamond checkered grips will be included with each gun.
In a nod to the special status with the marksmanship organization, they will be “CMP” marked. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The slide, frame, and small parts will be Manganese Phosphate finished, and there will be no MIM parts used in the manufacturing process. Like most Tisas 1911s, it will have Series 70 internals.
Sure, they are made in Turkey, but Tisas makes a hell of a 1911.
Pouring one out for New Orleans-born Carl Weathers over the weekend.
A big part of my childhood, I can’t remember how many times I saw him on bootlegged-off-HBO Betamax tapes as Apollo Creed– including his death at the hands of Ivan Drago, which was one of the most chilling parts of the Cold War to me as a kid. Plus, there was the terribly underrated Force 10 from Naverone, and, of course, Predator.
Although he didn’t serve directly in the military, he was a big part of Red Tight Media, which specialized in producing tactical training films for the U.S. armed forces and in constructing simulated Afghani and Iraqi villages at the NTC at Fort Irwin, California, all of which certainly helped keep guys alive in the sandbox.
Laid down in the midwest at the American Ship Building Company of Lorain, Ohio, on 2 May 1966, she commissioned 7 October 1968– the same year as the Tet Offensive.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast side-launched at the American Shipbuilding Company, Lorain 1967
Following an extensive refit in 1994 that aimed to add another 20-25 years to her service, she made it an additional 30 and was just decommissioned over the weekend.
The crew aboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) stands in formation on the ship’s flight deck while underway off the coast of Central America Memorial Day, 2022. An embarked MH-65 Dolphin helicopter detachment crew from Air Station Port Angeles hovered overhead for the photo in recognition of the day of remembrance. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Brad O’Brien)
Originally home-ported in St. Petersburg, Florida for her first 24 years, she shifted to Astoria, Oregon for the second half of her career.
The service put her to bed on Saturday.
Five prior Commanding Officers of USCGC Steadfast (WMEC 623) attended the ceremony over the weekend
Since commissioning in 1968, she has completed over 340 Search and Rescue cases, interdicted over 1.6 million pounds of marijuana and 164,000 pounds of cocaine, seized over 80 vessels, and stopped over 3,500 undocumented migrants from entering the United States. Steadfast was the first and is one of only two cutters, awarded the gold marijuana leaf, symbolizing one million pounds of marijuana seized. Legend holds Steadfast was named “El Tiburon Blanco” (Spanish for “The White Shark”) by Caribbean drug smugglers in the 1970s for being such a nemesis to their illegal drug operations. To this day, the crew uses the symbol of “El Tiburon Blanco” as one of their logos to epitomize Steadfast’s assertive law enforcement posture.
Steadfast is a multi-mission platform and is under the Operational Command of the Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander. As a Coast Guard resource, Steadfast deploys in support of Coast Guard Districts 11 and 13 as well as Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South (JIATF-S). During deployments, Steadfast patrols along the western seaboard of the United States, Mexico, and North and Central America conducting search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, living marine resource protection, and Homeland Defense operations.
In her years of service, Steadfast has been awarded the Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbons for Campaign Caper Focus and for Operation Martillo, 8 Coast Guard Excellence Ribbons, 5 Coast Guard Unit Commendation Awards, and 4 Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendations. In July 2019, Steadfast broke the record for the most cocaine seized during a single deployment among all 15 cutters of her same class and size.
In all, Steadfast served 55 years, 3 months, and 26 days. Not a bad run.
She is the fourth of 16 Reliance class cutters to get the ax, and will probably be sent overseas as military aid as two of her sisters have already been.
A view of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast at sunrise off the coast of San Diego, California., Dec. 2, 2019. The crew of the Steadfast was transiting north to their homeport of Astoria, Oregon, following a 60-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan O’Connor.)
Ensign Schuyler F. Heim and other members of the landing party from the South Carolina-class battleship USS Michigan (BB-27) preparing to disembark, on 22 April 1914, at Vera Cruz. Their whites are made khaki through the use of coffee grounds. NHHC NH 100612
The Battleship New Jersey Museum just found the ship’s organization book from 1956 and posted a great video detailing the landing party bill.
Of note, the Korean War-era landing party 201-man rifle company (6 officers, 195 enlisted), was commanded by the Marine detachment’s skipper (a captain) and made up of a platoon of 36 Marines (presumably led by a Marine LT) then fleshed out by 165 bluejackets organized into a company HQ section (commanded by a second Marine LT), a 2nd and 3rd infantry platoon, and a machine gun platoon. The senior Navy officer would be a LtJG who would act as the company executive officer while the company’s First SGT would be a Marine MSgt and the company Gunnery Sergent would be a PO1, likely GM1.
Inspecting USS New Jersey’s Marine detachment, 1944. Of note, this was one of the first Marine Detachments to hit the fleet with M1 Garands. Catalog #: 80-G-82699
Armament included 154 M1 Garands, 20 M1911 sidearms, a whopping 27 M1918 BARs, and 6 light machine guns (probably M1919s).
The three infantry platoons (at least in the case of the two Navy-staffed platoons) would be further divided into 9 four-man fire teams, each with a team leader (M1), rifleman (M1), BAR gunner (M1918) and assistant BAR gunner (M1), combined into three squads each with an additional squad leader, with the whole thing led by a platoon leader, for 40 men per platoon. No platoon Sgt/CPO, and no HMs or commo at the platoon level. Hey, it was 1956…
Anyway, good stuff, and a quick explanation of why a Cold War-era Marine Det on a battleship or cruiser included a captain and two lieutenants for a platoon-sized element.
The last Marine Carrier Dets, useful shipboard for guarding admirals, performing TRAP missions, and keeping an eye on “special munitions” (aka nukes) were disbanded in 1998.
How about this amazing early color photo (possibly an Autochrome Lumière) showing the combat-tattered banner of the French army’s 37e Régiment D’Infanterie (37e RI) shown resting on two stacks of bayonets atop Lebel 1886/15 rifles, likely late in the Great War. Note the famed “horizon blue” uniform of the Croix de Guerre-wearing Poilu, shown complete with an Adrian Adrian-style steel helmet. You can make out, under the Honneur et Patrie (“Honour and Fatherland”) motto, and battle honors for Zurich, Polotsk, and Alger.
With a lineage traced to 1587, the 37e RI picked up its number designation in 1790 while at Valogne under Col. Joachim Robin de Blair de Fressineaux (along with the honor of being named for Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, Maréchal de Turenne).
It soon earned two battle honors in the Napoleonic Wars (“Zurich 1799” and “Polotsk 1812”) although it fought notably in no less than 24 large battles from Vauban to Ligny. Post-Napolean, the 37th fought in Algeria (earning “Alger 1830” battle honor), as well as during the 1859 Italian campaign, and at Sedan during the 1870 war with Prussia.
Starting the Great War at Nancy with the 11th Infantry Division, the 37th was repeatedly bled white over the next four years, earning four battle honors (Lorraine 1914, Flanders 1914, Verdun 1916, and Champagne 1918) while sending no less than 6,155 of its members to the scrolls of its honored dead– more than twice the regiment’s 2,722-man wartime authorization!
It ended the war on occupation duty in Frankfurt.
The 37th, in keeping with French interbellum doctrine, was redesignated a fortress infantry unit in the 1930s and staffed the Maginot Line at Rohrbach.
When the Germans came again in 1940, the 37th held the line until its until it was compromised then mounted a fighting retreat to Val-et-Chatillon, suffering over 1,000 casualties in the process. There, its survivors burned its cherished regimental colors on orders of Lt. Col. Combet on 25 June, rather than surrender them to “The Boche,” capping 150 years of solid service to the empire and republic.
Post WWII, the 37th would be reformed a few different times as “public works” (bataillon d’ouvrages) and reserve battalions, but never again as a line infantry regiment.
The regimental motto was “Vaincre ou mourir” (Win or die)
I thought this was one of the nicest guns at SHOT last week.
Beretta came to Las Vegas with something that any Selachimorphaphile, single-action handgun purist, model 92 fan, or budding USPSA competitor is sure to find of interest: the 92XI Squalo.
The Squalo – “shark” in Italian – earned its name, says Beretta, due to the “sleek and formidable nature” of the animal and its namesake 9mm pistol’s inclination to “stand out in a sea of competition.”
Optics-ready with a Vertec-style frame and DLC-coated trigger internals, it has a single-action-only trigger with a manual frame-mounted safety lever. A gray overall finish and custom Hogue G10 grip panels help pull off the moniker.
It comes standard with a Toni Systems flared magwell and has superb texture on the grip, akin to that of a shark’s skin, one could say.
Meanwhile, at the show itself, Beretta had an example decked out with gold accents and a comp, the latter giving it a very “Professional” kind of vibe
Resplendent in her disruptive camouflage, the Royal Navy’s Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, HMS Tamar (P-233),recently arrived for a visit to the remote Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands. The sole remaining British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean, some of the islands’ population of fewer than 50 people can trace roots to the mutineers of HM Armed Vessel Bounty, which they burned there in what is now known as “Bounty Bay” in 1790.
It made for great imagery, and you can see why the men of the Bounty chose the place to settle.
The Rivers, designed for maritime constabulary roles such as conducting anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, and anti-smuggling tasks– allowing more capable destroyers and frigates to be retasked– have been busy showing the flag in remote parts of the world. The class consists of the three first 1,700-ton/260-foot flight Batch I vessels (Tyne, Severn, and Mersey) and five larger and improved 2,000-ton/296-foot Batch 2 vessels (Forth, Medway, Trent, Tamar, and Spey).
With small (28 in Batch 1, 45 in Batch 2) crews, their main armament is slight, being a simple 20mm/30mm forward and a few pintle-mounted .50 cals and GPMGs. The Batch 2s also have the ability to embark a Merlin/HH-60-sized helicopter (although not hangar it), UUV and UAV dets, and a platoon-sized element of Royal Marines.
In my opinion, this (or the RCN’s Kingston class MCDVs) would have been a better and far cheaper way for the U.S. Navy to go to scratch the LCS itch, putting all the money saved towards actual frigates, a role the LCS falls short of filling. For reference, a Batch 2 River costs about $175 million per hull, while the LCS runs $500-600 million. Oof.
The RN made sure to release images of Trent’s embarked Royal Marines at play, her .50 cals loaded with belts of ammo ready to go, and visiting Guyanan military personnel shown on the stern, framed by a pair of guns and the White Duster.
Subtle warning.
HMS Trent
Similarly, sistership HMS Forth (P222) is back on South Atlantic patrol after a yearlong refit. She is currently working with scientists in South Georgia, a Falkland Islands War battlefield studying bird flu there.
HMS Forth at East Cove with RRS Sir David Attenborough
Summer in South Georgia
South Georgia wildlife enjoying the summer with HMS Forth in the distance
Closing out related news for the class, check out this video of HMS Mersey, the third River to receive a WWII-style Western Approaches camo scheme during refit at Falmouth.
Customers placing a surplus ammo order through the CMP E-Store will not need to provide Form 2A (those individuals will check a box that states they are not a felon before completing their order). Customers that purchase surplus ammo in-person at our stores or at CMP events must provide Form 2A if they do not have one on file or if it’s expired.
We now have original West German .30-06 ammunition now available! This ammunition is post WWII 1960’s manufactured and has been in storage until now. This ammo was manufactured by MEN, Metallwerk Elisenhutte. The cartridges are berdan primed. This ammo is non corrosive. This ammo can be run in M1 Garands, 1903s, 1919s and more.
Please note that the rubber on these battlepack’s may be torn or ripped.
Photo I.D. required for purchase, please email a photo I.D. along with your order number to ffl@rtifirearms.com. Thank you for your business!
No ammunition sales to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Washington D.C.
No ammunition sales to Chicago IL, New York City, NY and Cook County Illinois
The U.S. Army’s long-running comic-based PS Magazine is being snuffed out after a 72-year run. Its first issue was released in June 1951, during the Korean War in which the format was judged perfect to help young (and often newly drafted) GIs keep their gear and vehicles working.
Due to Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA)-directed reductions of DA Civilian authorizations, PS Magazine will cease operations effective Sep 30, 2024. These reductions, among others across the Army, are necessary to right-size the total force, as well as support modernization.
PS Magazine’s transition to end of mission has already begun, and mission execution is reducing as its writing staff is reassigned or retires. Any residual support will cease operations no later than Sep 30. In the near term, this will affect the magazine’s ability to respond to Reader Inquiries, depending on the commodity or end item being inquired about. It will also mean a reduction in new content being posted to the website, with new articles all but ending this spring.
Efforts are being made to ensure the website remains available for reference for up to three years past end-of-mission. Once this website is fully retired, readers can continue to access the PS Magazine archive on the publicly available Radio Nerds website HERE.
On behalf of Connie, Bonnie, SFC Blade, Cloe and the other staff now retired, it’s been our distinct honor to serve Warfighters across all services for going on 73 years. You never know; perhaps someday we’ll be recalled to service. We’ll stand ready just in case.
For now, be safe, follow your TMs and always treat your vehicles and equipment as if your life depends on them. For surely, it will.
PS had some classic covers, many drawn by famed cartoonist and illustrator Will Eisner. He did Vol. 1, Issue 1.
PS June1951, vol 1, issue 1, cover by Wil Einser
Will Eisner Army Ordnance M3 sheet Grease gun smg
Joes Dope sheet tanks Army PM cartoon Will Eisner
PS 158, January1966. Cover art by Will Eisner.
Back cover from PS #198, May 1969. Art by Will Eisner
Flintstones war Front cover from PS #153, August 1965. Art by Will Eisner
Front cover from PS 120, November 1962. Art by Will Eisner
