http://kronykronicle.com/1968/index.html

http://kronykronicle.com/1968/Maxwellad.html

See Below:

Under Operation Gold Star, DQS members (The National Dusters, Quads and Searchlights Association (DQS), a non-profit organization comprised of US Army ADA – Air Defense Artillery – Veterans with service in Vietnam) will raise the necessary funds and make the necessary arrangements to allow the Gold Star Mothers, that wish to travel to Vietnam, to fulfill their dreams and desires. DQS members (at their own expense) will escort these Gold Star Mothers to Vietnam and to the Area of Operations in which their sons served and where their sons died. Gold Star Mothers have told us how they have longed to travel to Vietnam to see and experience the land that their sons knew and to visit the areas where their sons walked their last steps and took their last breath. They yearn for the peace of mind and closure that has eluded them all these many years.

Crowds welcome home Vietnam Troops at Travis Air Force Base

This is what Phil and Meredith would have witnessed from afar at Travis Air Force Base in ’73.

Vietnam POWs coming home to Travis Air Force Base

Originally named Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base, construction began on Travis in 1942. The United States Navy had aircraft at the base for training, but this proved temporary. In October 1942, the War Department assigned the base to the Air Transport Command. The base’s primary mission during World War II was ferrying aircraft and supplies to the Pacific Theater.

The base was renamed Travis Air Force Base in 1951 for Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, who was killed when a B-29 Superfortress crashed on August 5, 1950. The ensuing fire caused the 10,000 pounds of high explosives in the plane’s cargo — a Mark 4 nuclear weapon — to detonate, killing Robert Travis and 18 others.

Operation Homecoming was the mission to return POWs from Southeast Asia. Between February 12th and March 29th in 1973, North Vietnam released 566 American military and 25 civilian POWs and MIAs, many of whom had spent many years in various communist prison camps. Hanoi’s Gia Lam Airport was the main release point where Miliary Airlift Command’s C-141 Starlifters, took off on 18 “Freedom Flights” returning these heroes to their homeland via Clark Air Base in the Philippines.

One POW remembered the North Vietnamese announcer told the prisoners,

“As I call your name, step forward and go home.”

“Free at last!: That C-141 was the most beautiful bird I’d ever seen! I have chills running all though my body—you will just never know how it feels.”

For more info: http://www.travisairmuseum.org/html/vietnam_war.html

Like Nick said, this is what Peg and Jack might be familiar with in terms of Brazilian music…

And this is the more refined sort of thing that Phil in an all caps kind of way JUST WANTS YOU TO APPRECIATE…REALLY GUYS LISTEN!

This was his first break away hit in 1959 - Samba Triste

What is the difference between Canadian Landed Immigrant status and Canadian Citizenship status?

Canadian Landed Immigrant status requires a person to live in Canada a certain number of days and obtain a Canadian Permanent Resident Card (“PR”) or risk losing the status. Canadian Citizenship is a step higher than Canadian Landed Immigrant status. After you have obtained Canadian Landed Immigrant status you can apply for Canadian Citizenship. With Canadian Citizenship status you have benefits: no longer required to live in Canada or lose status; PR Card not required; can get passport; and can vote. An application must be made to obtain a PR Card. An application must be made to obtain Citizenship.

Immigration Act, 1952

This legislation determined the kinds of immigrants that would be allowed entry into Canada. The Act listed categories of preferred immigrants: British subjects and citizens from France and the United States. It also discriminated against certain ethnic groups, the mentally handicapped, homosexuals, and others among the “prohibited classes.”

The Points System, 1967

In 1967, Canada introduced a Points System that gave preference to immigrants who, among other things:

§         knew English or French.

§         were not too old/too young to take regular jobs.

§         had arranged employment in Canada.

§         had a relative or family member in Canada.

§         had proper education and training.

§         were immigrating to a region of high employment.

Immigrants were assigned points on a scale of 0 to 10 (or 15) based on the qualities listed directly above. If they reached a certain level of points in total, they were allowed into the country. There were no quotas or restrictions placed on the number of people who could immigrate, so long as successful immigrants passed the Points System test.

Hope this helps with the rhythm question.

The Bossa Nova video is here

Brazilian jazz is the term for the style of jazz popular or associated with Brazil. The style is sometimes seen as a Brazilian outgrowth of cool jazz as many of the early populists of jazz in Brazil were associated with that sub-genre. It was noted for the bossa nova, which mixes samba and jazz, and a greater use of guitar than in North American jazz. CD reissue of Daviss 1957 LP Birth of the Cool, collecting much of his 1949 to 1950 work. … Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music created by Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto and first introduced in Brazil by Gilbertos recording of Chega de Saudade, in 1958, a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, first released as a single, and shortly thereafter as the album.

 Hence it became popular in the United States as a kind of “new sub-genre.” Preparation for that might have been interest in samba shown in the 1942 Disney film Saludos Amigos and in US the popularity of Carmen Miranda. However Brazilian jazz itself gained a following in the early 1960s. In 1962 American tenor saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Charlie Byrd had success with Jazz Samba. This album fused jazz with Brazilian music. Brazilian musicians achieved success. The guitarist João Gilberto and his wife, the singer Astrud Gilberto, worked with Getz and on their own albums. The composer Antonio Carlos Jobim played a crucial role in bringing the music a wide and respectable audience. Sergio Mendes helped popularize the music in Japan and became the biggest Brazilian star in the U.S., although later his popularity waned.

Samba is one of the most popular forms of music in Brazil. Samba music is in 2/4 time, which means there are two counts per bar of four beats of music. Each count is two beats long. It is important to learn the proper count in order to maintain an accurate tempo when dancing. Say the count in your head and your feet will follow. Think “one and two, one and two.”

 http://www.expertvillage.com/video/56765_drums-beats-bosa-nova.htm

Listen to Brazilian jazz here

http://brazilianmusic.com/

Before the war, Aachen was home to some 165,000 Germans, but in October 1944 the city lay in ruins from repeated bombardment, and less than 20,000 civilians still lived there, defended by 5,000 troops. U.S. command decided to take a page from Germany’s blitzkrieg tactics: instead of seeing the city as an objective to be overcome, it was obstacle to be bypassed. The assumption was that surrounding the city and cutting it off from support would force its surrender.

aachen

Adolf Hitler and the defenders of Aachen, made up of elements of the 3rd Panzer Division and a couple Waffen SS kampfgrouppen, had different ideas, however. The ancient city was hallowed ground for Germany. As the birthplace and site of the coronation of Charlemagne, Aachen was the home of the Holy Roman Empire, which was cited by Hitler as the “First” Reich. Thus, as the first major city on German soil to face invasion of the Allies, Hitler personally directed that Aachen be held — at all costs.

The German garrison was reinforced. Consequently, the Aachen defenders became more of a threat than nuisance to the elements of the U.S. Ninth Army forces moving north and south of the town. This forced the American command to reconsider their strategy. Aachen, they concluded, would have to be taken after all — directly. As the American soldiers encircled the city, they pulverized it with aerial and artillery bombardments.

Urban warfare is perhaps the most difficult kind of fighting — block-by-block, building-by-building, floor-by-floor, room-by-room. Defenders can be easily concealed in fortified buildings and debris. They usually know the city well and can fall back to previously designated positions. Control of taller structures or central intersections gives the defender a significant advantage in tracking the enemy and impeding his progress. Control of the sewer system enables defenders to come up behind their foe.

The attackers are forced to inch their way through deadly mazes of unfamiliar streets and alleys. Dangerous reconnaissance is necessary to accurately map the defenders’ shifting positions. Communications are vital to coordinating advancing infantry and armored support. Tanks are effective at dislodging nests of defenders, but are hampered by debris filled streets and the ever-present threat of handheld anti-tank weapons. Tires of jeeps and ambulances are shredded by shards of shattered glass.

aachen

n the thickest of the fighting were the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, supported by the 745th Tank Battalion. They attacked from the southern suburbs, with the 30th Infantry Division moving into the city from the north. But resistance was fierce; in a matter of days the 30th Infantry Division sustained more than 2,000 casualties. Elements of the 29th Infantry Division had to be called in for help. When the last remaining defenders surrendered on Oct 21, the Germans had lost over 5,000 casualties and 5,600 prisoners. U.S. losses were put at 5,000 killed, wounded or missing.

There is also a sort of creepy model version of the battle here http://www.usarmymodels.com/MODEL%20GALLERY/Aachen/1takingaachen.html

In spite of more than 170 tons of bombs and nearly 10,000 rounds of artillery shells fired into the city, the great catherdral that housed the tomb of Emperor Charlemagne emerged intact.

$11,000 in 1955 equals  $85,166.62  today. (from MeasuringWorth)

Phil probably made between $70(ave. manufacturing pay) and $94(ave. construction pay) per week.

The Cost of things in 1955

House: $22,000

Average income: $4,137

Ford car: $1606-$2944

Milk: $.92

Gas: $.23

Bread $.18

Postage stamp: $.03

Sirloin chops: $ .69 lb.

Pot Roast: $.43 lb.

Eggs, doz.: $.61

Coffee: $.93 lb.

Milk, ½ gal. $.43

Potatoes, 10 lb. bag: $.53

Cracker Jack, 24 pac: $1.49

Slinky: $.88

Nylons, pair: $1.00

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/pop/prices-1955.htm