People who live next to, or even on, volcanoes tend to become a little blase about them. There isn't much we can do about them, so we don't worry that much about them until we have to. Sadly, this can result in people underestimating the danger when they do get more active than normal.
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
Many people IOTL did take the March 27 eruption as a lark, and 83 year old Harry R. Truman became a folk hero for refusing to evacuate from the area.
As for Cheshire, his death is a symbol of Kat' children growing up and moving out, Sophie is getting close to graduating University and moving out and Angelica is only a couple of years from starting University.
Unlike Helene and Gerta, Kat has no grandchildren of her own, and of all the girls she fostered, only Jo is still in the Berlin area and she shows no sign of wanting to have a child of her own.
Now Kat maybe looking forward in her mind when Angelica moves out so that she and Doug could travel the world whenever they want, but the actual reality is much different.
Poor Sprocket, I would like a POV post about him missing Cheshire even when he went "bapbapbap" on his nose.
As for Cheshire, his death is a symbol of Kat' children growing up and moving out, Sophie is getting close to graduating University and moving out and Angelica is only a couple of years from starting University.
Unlike Helene and Gerta, Kat has no grandchildren of her own, and of all the girls she fostered, only Jo is still in the Berlin area and she shows no sign of wanting to have a child of her own.
Now Kat maybe looking forward in her mind when Angelica moves out so that she and Doug could travel the world whenever they want, but the actual reality is much different.
Poor Sprocket, I would like a POV post about him missing Cheshire even when he went "bapbapbap" on his nose.
Part 155, Chapter 2820
Chapter Two Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty
5th April 1980
Miranda de Ebro, Spain
The annual Spring Exercises of European Defense Pact nations was being hosted by Spain this year and the forces involved had their headquarters in the small town of Miranda de Ebro. Beyond seeing that the names of places were familiar due to them being where events in the Spanish War decades earlier had played out, Niko had figured that Spain presented a whole host of problems that he had not encountered elsewhere.
It was Easter Sunday and that was a huge deal in a place like Spain. So Niko thought that he had lucked out when he had discovered that the taverna was open the day before because it had seemed like the whole country had shut down this week, today his luck had run out though. Everything was closed today and as a Junior Officer he was expected to be available in case any of the Generals needed anything. So Niko had tried to figure something else out only to get stuck with a bag of field rations, because the men who normally served in the mess hall had vanished for reasons that remained murky, and several hours to kill. His presence in Spain had been requested by the General of the Infantry Adam Bachmeier, the Overall Commander of the Exercise after his success last year. This year had turned out to be a bit more complicated though. He might have been appointed to be an aide of General Bachmeier, however he could the number of times he had seen the General since he had arrived in Spain on one hand. Not that it was a particular hardship though. For Niko it was a much-needed break for the constant training that he had been enduring ahead of the Summer Games.
Uncle Hans had told him all about Miranda de Ebro, how he had stayed here for a time during the Spanish War as the 2nd Army order to hold in place as they had been leapfrogged by the 5th Army. Rain and mud had figured heavily in Hans’ accounting. Often had needed to contend with the mud and the Brass had not been content unless their orders somehow resulted in him having to stand out in the rain all day. It wasn’t raining today, but the afternoons had been much warmer than Niko was used to this time of year. Finding a patch of shade under a tree by the river near the old bridge that had a very convenient bench at hand had been easy enough.
Watching Zwei contentedly munching on the contents of his feedbag, Niko knew that anyone who had ever spent any time around horses understood that they were basically a stomach on four legs. Niko wished that he had it so easy as he was using the can opener on his pocketknife to open a tin of the entrée from one of his ration packs, which was labeled Rindereintopf in an extreme case of optimism triumphing over sensibility. What it actually was, was mystery meat in sauce with potatoes and carrots. A separate tin in the same pack was labeled Kimchi that he had not opened yet. In theory the two were supposed to complement each other, but Niko knew from bitter experience that tended to lead to ruin. He knew that as soon as Zwei had his fill, he would need to make sure that the horse got water as well.
“They told me you were down here” A voice with an accent that was extremely unusual for Spain said, there was the sound of boot heels and clop of horses hooves. Niko knew who it was before he turned to look. Lieutenant James “Slick” Acree of the US Army’s 6th Air Cavalry Regiment, here with the other International Observers. Niko knew that he had volunteered for this because he got to play the role of an actual Cavalryman as opposed to being in a helicopter, leading what was basically a Light Infantry Platoon in Fort Riley, Kansas. “What’s this business of them making you a 1st LT?” Slick asked as he led his horse under the tree next to Zwei.
“Oberleutnant der Reserve” Niko corrected, “And these things happen.”
The Third Army Command had seen fit to promote Niko based on his time in the field and they had been extremely interested in his Academic Schedule. When he completed his Diplom in Military History, they wanted him at the Field Command School in Lichterfelde as soon as it could be arranged. When Niko’s Commission went active, they wanted him leading a Dragoon Company in the Panzer Corps. Opa, wherever he was, would be proud of that.
“Sort of like the clap?” Slick asked.
“I guess that is one way to put it” Niko said as he dug into the bag and tossed Slick one of the ration packs.
Slick being Slick, he immediately tore it open and found the chocolate bar. Like he had in the past, Slick told Niko all about the differences between the German chocolate bars made of dark chocolate and the Hershey bars back in the United States. Niko only half listened as he finish the tin he was eating from and was opening the kimchi. Then Slick said something interesting.
“This place reminds me of Northern California” Slick said, “Up near Redding.”
“All I know of California is what is in the movies” Niko replied. “Sun and surf, Valley girls.”
“That is a different part of the State” Slick replied as two teenaged girls came walking down the path next to river, followed by matron who looked with disdain at Niko and Slick. Slick smiled at the two girls and tipped his hat. They giggled as the matron gave him a withering look. Slick was chuckling at that as they kept walking past.
“Now you’re here Niko, Bruce around at all?” Slick asked.
“He’s still in England” Niko replied, “Training with the hope of beating me in Moscow this July, Modern Pentathlon and Fencing.”
“Pentathlon?” Slick asked, “Care to explain that.”
5th April 1980
Miranda de Ebro, Spain
The annual Spring Exercises of European Defense Pact nations was being hosted by Spain this year and the forces involved had their headquarters in the small town of Miranda de Ebro. Beyond seeing that the names of places were familiar due to them being where events in the Spanish War decades earlier had played out, Niko had figured that Spain presented a whole host of problems that he had not encountered elsewhere.
It was Easter Sunday and that was a huge deal in a place like Spain. So Niko thought that he had lucked out when he had discovered that the taverna was open the day before because it had seemed like the whole country had shut down this week, today his luck had run out though. Everything was closed today and as a Junior Officer he was expected to be available in case any of the Generals needed anything. So Niko had tried to figure something else out only to get stuck with a bag of field rations, because the men who normally served in the mess hall had vanished for reasons that remained murky, and several hours to kill. His presence in Spain had been requested by the General of the Infantry Adam Bachmeier, the Overall Commander of the Exercise after his success last year. This year had turned out to be a bit more complicated though. He might have been appointed to be an aide of General Bachmeier, however he could the number of times he had seen the General since he had arrived in Spain on one hand. Not that it was a particular hardship though. For Niko it was a much-needed break for the constant training that he had been enduring ahead of the Summer Games.
Uncle Hans had told him all about Miranda de Ebro, how he had stayed here for a time during the Spanish War as the 2nd Army order to hold in place as they had been leapfrogged by the 5th Army. Rain and mud had figured heavily in Hans’ accounting. Often had needed to contend with the mud and the Brass had not been content unless their orders somehow resulted in him having to stand out in the rain all day. It wasn’t raining today, but the afternoons had been much warmer than Niko was used to this time of year. Finding a patch of shade under a tree by the river near the old bridge that had a very convenient bench at hand had been easy enough.
Watching Zwei contentedly munching on the contents of his feedbag, Niko knew that anyone who had ever spent any time around horses understood that they were basically a stomach on four legs. Niko wished that he had it so easy as he was using the can opener on his pocketknife to open a tin of the entrée from one of his ration packs, which was labeled Rindereintopf in an extreme case of optimism triumphing over sensibility. What it actually was, was mystery meat in sauce with potatoes and carrots. A separate tin in the same pack was labeled Kimchi that he had not opened yet. In theory the two were supposed to complement each other, but Niko knew from bitter experience that tended to lead to ruin. He knew that as soon as Zwei had his fill, he would need to make sure that the horse got water as well.
“They told me you were down here” A voice with an accent that was extremely unusual for Spain said, there was the sound of boot heels and clop of horses hooves. Niko knew who it was before he turned to look. Lieutenant James “Slick” Acree of the US Army’s 6th Air Cavalry Regiment, here with the other International Observers. Niko knew that he had volunteered for this because he got to play the role of an actual Cavalryman as opposed to being in a helicopter, leading what was basically a Light Infantry Platoon in Fort Riley, Kansas. “What’s this business of them making you a 1st LT?” Slick asked as he led his horse under the tree next to Zwei.
“Oberleutnant der Reserve” Niko corrected, “And these things happen.”
The Third Army Command had seen fit to promote Niko based on his time in the field and they had been extremely interested in his Academic Schedule. When he completed his Diplom in Military History, they wanted him at the Field Command School in Lichterfelde as soon as it could be arranged. When Niko’s Commission went active, they wanted him leading a Dragoon Company in the Panzer Corps. Opa, wherever he was, would be proud of that.
“Sort of like the clap?” Slick asked.
“I guess that is one way to put it” Niko said as he dug into the bag and tossed Slick one of the ration packs.
Slick being Slick, he immediately tore it open and found the chocolate bar. Like he had in the past, Slick told Niko all about the differences between the German chocolate bars made of dark chocolate and the Hershey bars back in the United States. Niko only half listened as he finish the tin he was eating from and was opening the kimchi. Then Slick said something interesting.
“This place reminds me of Northern California” Slick said, “Up near Redding.”
“All I know of California is what is in the movies” Niko replied. “Sun and surf, Valley girls.”
“That is a different part of the State” Slick replied as two teenaged girls came walking down the path next to river, followed by matron who looked with disdain at Niko and Slick. Slick smiled at the two girls and tipped his hat. They giggled as the matron gave him a withering look. Slick was chuckling at that as they kept walking past.
“Now you’re here Niko, Bruce around at all?” Slick asked.
“He’s still in England” Niko replied, “Training with the hope of beating me in Moscow this July, Modern Pentathlon and Fencing.”
“Pentathlon?” Slick asked, “Care to explain that.”
Last edited:
I would wonder if Niko would get a recon command instead of a Dragoon unit? With his experience out in the different areas of the world and understands what the differences there are between being on the Pampas of Argentina, the forests of Central Europe, and other places like that he would be a perfect commander of recon troops that need to know and use terrain to help them do their work. I could see them even having him work on horse or mule mounted recon unit to use where a motorized unit would not work.
Actually I think that the Brass will put Niko into rear echelon slots if he is sent into combat zones after what happened to the Crown Prince of Saxony, when he was killed during the Sino-Korean War.
What would be interesting is if the United States has a large Joint Training Exercise at Ft Irwin in the Mojave in the Fall and Europeans are invited as observers.
What would be interesting is if the United States has a large Joint Training Exercise at Ft Irwin in the Mojave in the Fall and Europeans are invited as observers.
it would be a great opportunity afterwards for his (presumably) future wife Monique to take Niko to meet the Aunties on the Reservation for the Navajo elders seal of approval. Chaperoned of course by Nina Horst and (if he’s still able) Piers Sjostedt.
This will be a meeting of the Navajo Aunties with his German Auntie, Kat who the Navajo have already met, and maybe have the opportunity for them to bring Kat into their fold as an official "Auntie".
I doubt very much that without Nationalists with Franco winning Civil War and enforcing catholic festivities there would be so much level of acceptance of the shut down.
Perhaps. Miranda de Ebro is a small town in Northern Spain and exactly the sort of place where traditional festivities would be a key part of the culture, it could easily be different in the major cities. The other consideration is that in this TL you don't have memories of the cozy relationship between the Franco regime and the Church in driving secularism.
Last edited:
With the ITTL Pope Paul VI being Spanish, I could see a Catholic Revival happening in Spain at this point ITTL.
I also could see the Popes from the POD, being the same as IOTL up to Pope Plus XII.
I don't know if Angelo Roncalli(Pope John XXIII), or Giovanni Montini (IOTL Paul VI) becomes Popes, but they were both part of the Italian dominated Roman Curia, the bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church and there was a split between the Cardinals who were part of the Curia, and those who were considered to be more "Pastoral" with the Cardinals from the Curia being elected Pope until Albino Luciani was elected Pope John Paul I.
I could see the ITTL Pope Paul VI, with his experience in the ITTL Spanish Civil War rejecting the extremism of the Left and Right, and the "Langist Materialism" in favor of a more spiritual understanding of Life, and that could have resonated with people wanting a more personal connection with the Church.
I also could see the Popes from the POD, being the same as IOTL up to Pope Plus XII.
I don't know if Angelo Roncalli(Pope John XXIII), or Giovanni Montini (IOTL Paul VI) becomes Popes, but they were both part of the Italian dominated Roman Curia, the bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church and there was a split between the Cardinals who were part of the Curia, and those who were considered to be more "Pastoral" with the Cardinals from the Curia being elected Pope until Albino Luciani was elected Pope John Paul I.
I could see the ITTL Pope Paul VI, with his experience in the ITTL Spanish Civil War rejecting the extremism of the Left and Right, and the "Langist Materialism" in favor of a more spiritual understanding of Life, and that could have resonated with people wanting a more personal connection with the Church.
Part 155, Chapter 2821
Chapter Two Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-One
18th May 1980
Fort Lewis, Washington State
The smell of disinfectant and bleach filled the air as Mario made his way through the bathroom towards the small common room with the sleeping bays on either side. Normally, Mario would have spent Sunday morning doing as little as possible. Unfortunately for him, Dog Company of the Second Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment had a new Captain with an Academy ring and a stick up his ass. Yesterday, the Captain announced to the Company Non-Commissioned Officers that he wanted the Company and the barracks presentable so that he could butter up the Brass who were said to be visiting from D.C on Sunday morning on a “surprise” inspection tour. That was about as unpleasant of a surprise as any that they might have received without someone getting hurt or killed.
As a Buck Sergeant, Mario was one of the men who had been tasked with carrying out that edict, which was something that did not make Mario popular with the men. That went double for the Specialist 4’s who made up much of Dog Company. They all remembered that he had been one of them not so long ago and were not shy about reminding him. Well, Mario’s older brother was a Chief Warrant Officer who had briefed the POTUS, so him being a terminal E-4 was never in the cards. Worse of all, Mario was starting to get an idea why Ritchie felt the need to be a total hardass at times.
Still, Mario had managed to get the men moving after a whole lot of grumbling about having to get up before sunrise. It took a couple hours but they had managed to get the Company’s Enlisted barracks as pristine as it had probably ever been. Then at the appointed time when the Brass were supposed to arrive, only guy who had shown up was Corporal Pryor, the Company Clerk, to tell them that the Brass was running late and to pass along a message from the Captain that they had best make good use of whatever extra time they had. Pryor did his best to dodge whatever the men had on hand to throw him and it seemed that the men didn’t have a problem with killing the messenger as Mario checked his watch. It was a half past eight and he wondered if he ought to let the men in his bay get breakfast. Was there time for that? It would go a long way towards mending fences. He also understood that when you get a warning to use the time you had, you had better listen.
Minutes later, a Staff car with jeeps escorting it pulled up to the barracks and they were immediately ordered to fall out as if this were a typical Sunday morning and this was an honest to God surprise inspection. The Captain, doing his best to earn a Brownnoser Medal rushed up to the car as a General with a whole lot of fruit salad pinned to his uniform stepped out and gave the General a crisp salute. As if the General didn’t have enough sense to see what was going on. Mario wouldn’t have been in the least bit surprised to learn that the General didn’t care either way.
Rushing out, Mario took his place in the formation forming in front of the barracks. The General maintained a stern demeanor as he spoke with a few of the men as Mario couldn’t help but notice a large dark cloud growing in size off to the south and getting closer. “Sergeant” the General said in acknowledgement of Mario as he passed. If Mario was lucky the General wouldn’t take any other notice of him. Ritchie had once told him that to most high-ranking Officers the Noncoms and Enlisted rarely merited more notice than the furniture. If you were smart you did absolutely nothing to change that perception because it would probably end very badly for you if you did.
“I trust that everything is in order Captain Ashworth” The General said in a chipper voice as if he had not done this a dozen times already today.
“Yes, Sir” The Captain replied looking at the men, giving the men a look that held the promise of ruin if any of them so much as had the stray thought about messing this up.
“Uhm, Sir?” One of the men asked, “In the sky.”
The Captain looked as what the man was gesturing to. It was The same expanding cloud that Mario had noticed earlier. Only now it was a whole lot closer and it didn’t look like any storm cloud that Mario had ever seen. He couldn’t help but noticing that he had grit in his mouth, like after he had gotten a mouthful of sand after wiping out while surfing.
“What about it” The Captain said, just as the air raid sirens went off. What followed was a mad scramble to get back into the barracks as the cloud turned out not to be the weather but was volcanic ash. Everyone had heard about Mount Saint Helens, just no one had realized that the whole mountain would explode, but that was exactly what had happened. They also swiftly learned that none of their gear could handle the fine particulate of the ash and swiftly broke down. Nothing with an air-filter, not even their gas masks worked.
18th May 1980
Fort Lewis, Washington State
The smell of disinfectant and bleach filled the air as Mario made his way through the bathroom towards the small common room with the sleeping bays on either side. Normally, Mario would have spent Sunday morning doing as little as possible. Unfortunately for him, Dog Company of the Second Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment had a new Captain with an Academy ring and a stick up his ass. Yesterday, the Captain announced to the Company Non-Commissioned Officers that he wanted the Company and the barracks presentable so that he could butter up the Brass who were said to be visiting from D.C on Sunday morning on a “surprise” inspection tour. That was about as unpleasant of a surprise as any that they might have received without someone getting hurt or killed.
As a Buck Sergeant, Mario was one of the men who had been tasked with carrying out that edict, which was something that did not make Mario popular with the men. That went double for the Specialist 4’s who made up much of Dog Company. They all remembered that he had been one of them not so long ago and were not shy about reminding him. Well, Mario’s older brother was a Chief Warrant Officer who had briefed the POTUS, so him being a terminal E-4 was never in the cards. Worse of all, Mario was starting to get an idea why Ritchie felt the need to be a total hardass at times.
Still, Mario had managed to get the men moving after a whole lot of grumbling about having to get up before sunrise. It took a couple hours but they had managed to get the Company’s Enlisted barracks as pristine as it had probably ever been. Then at the appointed time when the Brass were supposed to arrive, only guy who had shown up was Corporal Pryor, the Company Clerk, to tell them that the Brass was running late and to pass along a message from the Captain that they had best make good use of whatever extra time they had. Pryor did his best to dodge whatever the men had on hand to throw him and it seemed that the men didn’t have a problem with killing the messenger as Mario checked his watch. It was a half past eight and he wondered if he ought to let the men in his bay get breakfast. Was there time for that? It would go a long way towards mending fences. He also understood that when you get a warning to use the time you had, you had better listen.
Minutes later, a Staff car with jeeps escorting it pulled up to the barracks and they were immediately ordered to fall out as if this were a typical Sunday morning and this was an honest to God surprise inspection. The Captain, doing his best to earn a Brownnoser Medal rushed up to the car as a General with a whole lot of fruit salad pinned to his uniform stepped out and gave the General a crisp salute. As if the General didn’t have enough sense to see what was going on. Mario wouldn’t have been in the least bit surprised to learn that the General didn’t care either way.
Rushing out, Mario took his place in the formation forming in front of the barracks. The General maintained a stern demeanor as he spoke with a few of the men as Mario couldn’t help but notice a large dark cloud growing in size off to the south and getting closer. “Sergeant” the General said in acknowledgement of Mario as he passed. If Mario was lucky the General wouldn’t take any other notice of him. Ritchie had once told him that to most high-ranking Officers the Noncoms and Enlisted rarely merited more notice than the furniture. If you were smart you did absolutely nothing to change that perception because it would probably end very badly for you if you did.
“I trust that everything is in order Captain Ashworth” The General said in a chipper voice as if he had not done this a dozen times already today.
“Yes, Sir” The Captain replied looking at the men, giving the men a look that held the promise of ruin if any of them so much as had the stray thought about messing this up.
“Uhm, Sir?” One of the men asked, “In the sky.”
The Captain looked as what the man was gesturing to. It was The same expanding cloud that Mario had noticed earlier. Only now it was a whole lot closer and it didn’t look like any storm cloud that Mario had ever seen. He couldn’t help but noticing that he had grit in his mouth, like after he had gotten a mouthful of sand after wiping out while surfing.
“What about it” The Captain said, just as the air raid sirens went off. What followed was a mad scramble to get back into the barracks as the cloud turned out not to be the weather but was volcanic ash. Everyone had heard about Mount Saint Helens, just no one had realized that the whole mountain would explode, but that was exactly what had happened. They also swiftly learned that none of their gear could handle the fine particulate of the ash and swiftly broke down. Nothing with an air-filter, not even their gas masks worked.
It was 57 in OTL which was a surprise considering the severity. Probably a similar number in TTL. It was considered a stroke of luck that the blast went in a direction that was largely unpopulated.
The 1980 Presidential Primaries are going on, and it is less than a month until they are over.
This should boost Sen. Mark Felt (R-ID) as Idaho gets a lot of the ash fall and Federal Disaster Relief funds are needed, and guess who's is front of the line grabbing every dollar possible?
For President Nixon, this is another opportunity to show everyone who the President is.
Earlier in February, Nixon had the World's spotlight on him when he opened the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, and he was there congratulating the Mens Ice Hockey team in their upset victory over the favored Russian Empire team, even through it wasn't a "Miracle on Ice".
Nixon, if he is running for a third term, is not running openly as it goes against almost two hundred years of historical precedent, but is using a write-in votes, Uncommitted delegates slots or Favorite Sons (or Daughters) as surrogates to collect delegates for himself.
This should boost Sen. Mark Felt (R-ID) as Idaho gets a lot of the ash fall and Federal Disaster Relief funds are needed, and guess who's is front of the line grabbing every dollar possible?
For President Nixon, this is another opportunity to show everyone who the President is.
Earlier in February, Nixon had the World's spotlight on him when he opened the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, and he was there congratulating the Mens Ice Hockey team in their upset victory over the favored Russian Empire team, even through it wasn't a "Miracle on Ice".
Nixon, if he is running for a third term, is not running openly as it goes against almost two hundred years of historical precedent, but is using a write-in votes, Uncommitted delegates slots or Favorite Sons (or Daughters) as surrogates to collect delegates for himself.
How much experience does the General's aides have? This is where the rubber meets the road in a disaster like this and what happens next with the General, his aides, local command, and the Company Commander is going to be interesting.
It depends. The State National Guard units in Washington and Oregon would be activated, that would be the State Governors making the call. The US Army Corps of Engineers was a large part of the response. Considering how active they are in the Columbia River Basin, it would be a surprise if they had not shown up. The 2nd Battalion of the 75th Rangers, as well as units of the 82nd Airborne based out of Fort Lewis would be very limited by statute as to what operations they can conduct within the United States.
I was thinking more along the lines of the General et al going off on tangents because of they might panic.