Okay, well, that's slightly hyperbolic. The literal term "Air Cav", according to the OED, dates from the mid-60's. But the longer "air cavalry", actually has a reference as early as 1913. Which, for extra fun times, contains the phrase "especially the aeroplanists at Nancy".air cavalry, n.Mil. (chiefly U.S.).A highly mobile division of an army which … Continue reading Air Cav Is Older Than You Might Think
Tag: military
Military prediction
"(The attempt of the United States to make military service attractive by offering high pay, free college education, and other benefits looks suspiciously like bribing the child with candy.)"~ p. 124Ideas Have ConsequencesI was reading through some saved drafts on my blog and came across this quotation from Richard Weaver's Ideas Have Consequences. (A marvelous … Continue reading Military prediction
Samuel Johnson said:
"Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea."
Things extra
I learned this word when I was younger because of my interest in things military. It stuck in my head and has remained ever since though I have little occasion to use it.accoutrement1. Apparel, outfit, equipment. Almost always in the pl., clothes, trappings, equipments. Milit. The equipments of a soldier other than arms and dress.2. … Continue reading Things extra
On the defensive
An interesting military term that I don't recall seeing before. Also of note is that only the most recent reference given by the OED (out of six) uses the spelling given by the OED. The rest either double the "b" or the "t".abatisMilit.A defence constructed by placing felled trees lengthwise one over the other with … Continue reading On the defensive
Hezbollah and the Israelis
An interesting film from iFilm that looks into several Hezbollah claims about from where they do and do not launch rockets and store their rocket launchers. (Link via The Corner.)
As Promised
A brief note on War and Our World by John Keegan. The book itself is merely a collection of lectures delivered by Keegan on the topic on which he is expert, war. He does have interesting things to say about war and military history and the future of warfare, but I think he is altogether … Continue reading As Promised
Bookly Things
I don't think I'm going to quite match last month's total of 19, but I should finish one or two more books this month to reach 17 or 18. Respectable enough. Ah, for the lost opportunities of January.The only book I've read recently that was new to me was Dixie Betrayed by David Eicher, and, … Continue reading Bookly Things
Admiral Lord Nelson, Scumbag
I finished a couple days ago with a (fairly) new biography of Horatio Nelson, The Pursuit of Victory. I'd kind of admired him for some time, not because I really knew much about him, except that he was a pretty successful admiral. He won the Battle of the Nile, the Battle of Copenhagen and, as … Continue reading Admiral Lord Nelson, Scumbag
Army and Navy
I'm confused by this article. Not because it is unclear in any way. I'm just not sure if I should be pleased that my nation's Army cadets can successfully infiltrate a military facility and remove a 170 pound object without being noticed or disappointed because my nation's Naval midshipmen cannot keep their own academy secure … Continue reading Army and Navy
Neh 