199: Building the Anglo-American Alliance: The US Enters the European Theater

“When do we get a whack at those Germans?” This is the story of America’s entry into the European Theater. After Pearl Harbor, American foot soldiers and generals alike are eager to get in on the action in Europe, but first, they have to cross the embattled Atlantic—easier said than done with German U-boats on the prowl, sinking both military and merchant vessels in what they call an “American turkey shoot.” After stubborn U. S. Navy Admiral Ernest King finally adopts a workable convoy system, the boys are on their way to the UK, but it’s their next destination that’s really hotly debated. U. S. Chief of Staff George C. Marshall advocates for a direct assault on France in 1942, (a plan supported by a desperate Stalin), but Churchill and co. favor a Mediterranean approach, coming up through the “soft underbelly” of Europe and avoiding turning the English Channel into “a river of blood.” And yet, whatever the high command decides, newly trained American troops will soon arrive in Ireland under the command of Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower, an organizationally brilliant and formerly frustrated desk jockey, now commander of all U. S. forces in Europe. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com https://www.htdspodcast.com/ and go deep into episode bibliographies https://www.htdspodcast.com/bibliography and book recommendations https://www.htdspodcast.com/book-recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community https://www.facebook.com/groups/257926761619618/ get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette https://www.htdspodcast.com/newsletters-1 come see a live show https://www.htdspodcast.com/live-shows get HTDS merch https://htds-team-shop.fourthwall.com/ or become an HTDS premium https://htds.supercast.com/ member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part ofAudacy media network https://www.audacy.com/. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? ContactAudacyinc.com. https://audacyinc.com/contact

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:09Greg Jackson?

  It's a cool gray morning, January 26th, 1942. We're in the waters of Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the former luxury liner turned British troop ship HMS Strathaird is just gliding into Dufferin Key. On board are some 4,000 American soldiers, Midwestern boys hailing from Iowa, the Dakotas, and Minnesota, all part of the National Guard unit now federalized as the US Army's 34th Infantry Division, elements of which are traveling here in several ships. Their presence could not be more welcomed on shore, where reporters and excited crowds are watching with anticipation. Since the US Congress declared war last month, these are the very first American ground troops sent to Europe to fight. I guess the question now is,

• 0:54Greg Jackson?

  just who will be the very first of these soldiers to disembark and make their arrival official?

• 1:02Greg Jackson?

  Aboard the Strathaird, a colonel instructs a lieutenant to get someone from B Company. The young officer doesn't waste time deciding. He simply goes with the guy who happens to be in closest proximity: Milburn Hankey. A handsome, square-jawed, cleft-chinned, 23-year-old private, Milburn dutifully gets up, expecting he's been tapped for manual labor or some other dirty detail, to use his later recollection: likely unloading cargo. But that changes fast when he suddenly finds himself face-to-face with his division commander: Major General Russell Harte. The 52-year-old commander asks Milburn: "Can you talk to reporters?" Put on the spot, the young soldier answers: "Well, if I have to, I think I can." That's all the general needed to hear.

• 1:47Greg Jackson?

  He instructs Milburn to follow, and in that same moment, the still-surprised soldier finds himself walking behind his commander, down the gangplank. It's 11 steps. 11 historic steps that take Milburn from the transport down to the Key, where he officially becomes the first enlisted soldier of the US Army to step ashore in Europe during the Second World War.

• 2:11Greg Jackson?

  As Milburn takes that historic step, the Royal Ulster Rifles Band greets him by striking out the Star Spangled Banner. The young private's right hand snaps to the edge of his steel helmet in a sharp salute. He stands at attention as the band plays right through the last note. And that's when the reporters step in. With a microphone in hand, one asks Milburn if he'd like to say something to America. Sure, the shocked soldier says excitedly as he leans in. Hello, America. Mom and Pop, I just wanna say I hope I'll be back sometime. Tell everybody back in Hutch hello. We'll get those Germans yet. Hutch, ah, Milburn's referring to his hometown of Hutchinson, Minnesota.

• 2:54Greg Jackson?

  As he does, the top brass's faces betray their surprise. It's in this moment, as Milburn will later recall, that he realizes they likely intended the "first soldier to step ashore" to be one of the Iowa boys. Heh, whoops, too late now. Or perhaps we should say, it seems that ship has sailed. As the reporters continue to interrogate the young American on his background, it soon becomes clear that, like many Americans, and especially midwestern Americans, he's of German descent. His family name alone makes this obvious, but as evidenced by his first words off the ship, that doesn't give him any consternation about fighting Nazi Germany.

• 3:35Greg Jackson?

  Even his pop, who was born in Germany, has no question of where their allegiance lies. In fact, Milburn shares with the reporters that the last words he got from his father were, "Give 'em hell." And as the commander of US Army Forces in the British Isles, Major General James Cheney joins the conversation, the young German descent private is quick to ask, "When do we get a whack at those Germans?" The questions continue. A reporter asks the young soldier, "Does he know where he is?" I just don't know where we are. I know I'm not in America, but I got the idea I'm in Ireland. Rumors travel fast, even at sea. But finally, they come to the most important question.

• 4:16Greg Jackson?

  Does the young, enthusiastic volunteer soldier nonetheless have any regrets about enlisting? Well, he admits to one. And her name is Iola Christensen. With Twitter patient and longing in his very words, Milburn answers, "I don't know if she'll wait for me. She may have stepped out on me now, but I hope not."

• 4:40Greg Jackson?

  Well, Northern Ireland has known air raids. The people are going without and are hungry. But even in war, or perhaps especially amid such horrors, everyone appreciates a good love story. And so, that very same first night in Northern Ireland, Milburn finds himself given the rare opportunity to speak to the woman who, though 4,000 miles away and out of sight since last summer, holds his heart in her hands. There's only one catch: Their conversation is getting broadcast across the United States. "Hello, Squirt."

• 5:13Speaker 01

  "Hi, Atinky."

• 5:15Greg Jackson?

  Yes, the nicknames come out immediately. And while Mr. and Mrs. Hanky are on the call too, they don't say much. They tell their son how proud they are, how much they miss him, and then, with lumps in their throats, let him talk to his Iola. His Squirt. Milburn has nothing to worry about. Iola misses him dearly. In fact, she's already planning the wedding. No, his real worry is beyond the Irish Sea and the English Channel. He'll have to hope that German bullets miss him on the battlefield, every bit as much as Iola misses him in her heart.

• 6:06Greg Jackson?

  Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story.

• 6:27Greg Jackson?

  It's hard not to like Private Milburn Hanky. Though turned into a celebrity by mere happenstance, he doesn't let the subsequent outpouring of letters from fans across the US, nor his meetings with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt or the Queen Mother and Princess Elizabeth, go to his head. He understands that the fame isn't really about him, but about what his first step on Northern Ireland soil symbolized. That he's become a stand-in of sorts for the US Army, a personifying symbol of the transatlantic alliance itself. Milburn does pull through. As the 34th Division, soon nicknamed the Red Bull Division, sees hard fighting in North Africa and Italy, he earns a Silver Star. He then heads home after a car accident leaves him with a serious back injury about two

• 7:12Greg Jackson?

  years after his famous arrival. As for Miss Iola Christensen, she does in fact wait for him. Wedding bells ring in 1944. They raise three children and have 53 years together that only end when Milburn passes away in 1998. But now that we know the lovebirds more than workout, let's return our focus to the reason we met Milburn in the first place: America's entry into the European theater. Yes, after following the United States path from Pearl Harbor into the Pacific Theater through the Battle of Midway in June 1942 in recent episodes, it's time to use that natural breaking point to pause, backtrack to America's entry into the war, and follow

• 7:55Greg Jackson?

  its developments in Europe. By the way, grouping several episodes in one theater before bouncing to the other is how we'll navigate the multi-theater and complex story of the Second World War. That said, today's story won't start in December 1941. We'll start much further back, with the background of a leader whom we met in past episodes but who's about to play a much bigger role: the brilliant, talented, and adventure-seeking Kanzan, Dwight D. Eisenhower. After bonding with this young officer so frustrated that his brains and capable leadership keep him stuck stateside and often behind a desk right into middle age, we'll get a taste of the years-long Battle of the Atlantic, where German submarines or U-boats are seen

• 8:40Greg Jackson?

  immense initial success, then follow the frustration and discussion among the Allies between late 1941 and mid 1942, as leaders debate the best way to engage in Europe. As we'll see, it's becoming increasingly clear that the United States, already thrust into war in the Pacific, is coming to terms with a two-front war, with a second theater in Europe. That doesn't mean, however, that the Allies agree on how or where to fight first. Amid talk of spheres of influence, both individual and shared, questions hang in the air. Should they push for a cross-channel invasion, as US Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall wants? Or work their way in, using what British Prime Minister Winston Churchill likes to call

• 9:25Greg Jackson?

  "the soft underbelly of the Mediterranean"? And what does that odd ally to these democratic nations, the Soviet Union's dictator, Joseph Stalin, think of all this? Well, we'll get those answers when we wrap this episode at the Moscow Conference of August 1942. Poof, a big lift as ever. And with no time to waste, let's make our way back to the US and back a few decades, so we can properly welcome Little Ike to the story. Rewind.

• 9:59Greg Jackson?

  On October 14th, 1890, in a modest, one-and-a-half-story whitewashed house alongside some railroad tracks in Dennison, Texas, David and Ida Eisenhower welcome the third of what will ultimately be seven sons into their lives. They name him David Dwight Eisenhower, but use his middle name to avoid confusion with his pops. As you may already realize, that practice eventually flips those names. That's why you and I know him as Dwight David Eisenhower. The Eisenhowers don't stay long in Texas. David and Ida move their young family to Abilene, Kansas, while their thirdborn is still just a toddler. This is where the future US president will grow up,

• 10:42Greg Jackson?

  leading Dwight to forever think of the Sunflower State as home. Though, we may as well swap out the name Dwight for the nickname he picks up going to school here. In contrast to his older brother Edgar, who's known as Big Ike, Dwight is soon dubbed Little Ike. Little Ike has fairly standard childhood interests. He hunts, fishes, plays football, and inhales military history. Hmm, I wonder what his mother, Ida, thinks about this interest, given her Mennonite pacifist values. Anyhow, in 1911, little Ike heads to West Point, which happens in no small part thanks to his gift on the football field. But when a career-ending knee injury crushes whatever professional athletic dreams he harbors

• 11:26Greg Jackson?

  in these pre-NFL days, he's quick to move on. Little Ike graduates in 1915, very solidly in the middle of his class, 61 out of 164. The newly-minted second lieutenant has a series of mediocre placements over the next few years. The most important development, however, happens in 1916, at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where he meets and marries Mary Jenna LeDoux. But no need for such formalities, we'll stick with her well-known nickname: Mamie. As World War I rages in Europe, the young, three-years-out-of-West Point Captain Eisenhower gets a less-than-thrilling assignment.

• 12:06Greg Jackson?

  He's being sent to serve under Lieutenant Colonel Iris C. Wellborn in the 65th Engineers, now part of the Army's newly-forming Tank Corps stationed at Camp Meade, Maryland. Ike, that's right, now that he's an adult, the little is dropped, is supremely disappointed. He wants to be sent over there, into the action. Ike is informed the position is only temporary, but still, stateside training, even if with this cutting-edge new tank technology, is not what he's been dreaming about. To quote his later recollection of his current crestfallen disposition, "Some of my class were already in France, others were ready to depart.

• 12:48Greg Jackson?

  I seemed embedded in the monotony and unsought safety of the zone of the interior." Ike's unit, the 301st Tank Battalion, goes through a lot of training, and he plays an important part in establishing this new tank corps. Then, finally, in March 1918, Ike gets the news that he's been longing for. His battalion is shipping out via New York for France. More than that, he's going in command! But alas, after hastening preparations, the young tank officer stops back at Camp Meade for final instructions, only to be told that, since his organizational ability is so incredibly impressive,

• 13:29Greg Jackson?

  the Army needs him to stay stateside and keep training those troops not heading over there. This means, of course, that he's not going over there either.

• 13:40Greg Jackson?

  Devastated and left in a mood he describes as "black", Ike follows orders and heads to, as he puts it, "an old abandoned campsite in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania of all places." Yep, Camp Colt is located right where the Battle of Gettysburg was fought just over fifty years earlier. In fact, Ike's tents are pitched atop the land where Pickett's Charge took place. Good thing he's not afraid of ghosts. Ike and Colonel Ira Welborn form a close relationship, helped along by their bi-weekly meetings. But aside from that instruction, Ike tells us, "I was very much on my own at Camp Colt. The tank corps was new. There were no precedents, except in basic training,

• 14:23Greg Jackson?

  and I was the only regular officer in the command. Now, I really began to learn about responsibility." Even though most of the work is improvisation, Ike manages to get Camp Colt running efficiently. He realizes that the men will soon grow bored after basic training, so he and his civilian officers add more specialized training to the mix. Telegraph and motor schools are the most popular options. But the men aren't just training and relaxing atop Gettysburg's storied lands. No, it seems like the Battle of Gettysburg is about to have a 20th-century resurgence.

• 15:03Greg Jackson?

  It's an unspecified day, likely late April or May 1918. We're in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where US Army men, likely dressed in khaki or a drab olive, are trudging across the same ground once trod by men in blue and gray. But thankfully, these uniformly-uniformed soldiers won't be fighting one another today. They're here for a little target practice. Their commander, Captain Dwight Eisenhower, has secured a few machine guns for training. But just as they're about to start, one of the men realizes they can mount a machine gun on a truck flatbed to make it a mobile platform. Ah, that's a bit more realistic. Now, they can practice both moving and stationary positions.

• 15:48Greg Jackson?

  But where should they aim? Scanning the ridge and hill terrain, a topographical high point stands out to the south: the rocky, plant-covered, nearly 800-foot mound known as Big Round Top. That's right, this Union-held position, at the bloodiest multi-day battle in American history that we learned about back in Episode 60, these very hills are where the US Army decides to do some target practice. According to Ike, Big Round Top's base is... a perfect backstop. And so, to quote the captain once more, "Soldiers were shooting from moving trucks at all kinds of targets there, and the firing might have been heavier than during the Great Battle 55 years earlier."

• 16:33Greg Jackson?

  Agreed, Ike. Your military historian chops are shining through. After all, while Little Round Top was the site of terrible carnage, its big brother, though strategically important, saw little action. Way to even things out half a century later. Those Civil War archaeologists might like to have a word with you about today's and other training practices on the old battlefield.

• 16:58Greg Jackson?

  Though their town once again echoes with the sound of gunfire, the 3,000 or so residents of Gettysburg welcome Ike and his soldiers. By the end of the summer, he is responsible for the training of nearly 10,000 men. But only a few months after they start training with real tanks, minus their weapons, which are still needed in Europe, the armistice arrives. And just like that, this chapter of Ike's life comes to an end. As he so succinctly puts it, "No human enterprise goes flat so instantly as an army training camp when war ends." Everything that sustains morale—peril to the country, imminent combat, zeal for victory, a sense of importance—disappears.

• 17:40Greg Jackson?

  The only thing that counts for a citizen soldier is his date of discharge. Norman Randolph, a fellow West Point classmate also at Camp Colt, will later recall for Ike seeing the disappointment on his face as they sat in his office on November 11, 1918. "As we sat there, stunned and disappointed by the fact that we had not gotten into the show, I recall you saying, 'I suppose we'll spend the rest of our lives explaining why we didn't get into this. And by God, from now on, I am cutting myself a swath and will make up for this.'" Close quote. "Well, temporary Lieutenant Colonel Eisenhower, I promise, your time will come."

• 18:24Greg Jackson?

  The interwar period, as we call the two decades between the world wars, have their ups and downs for Dwight Eisenhower. In 1919, he moves back to Camp Meade, Maryland, without his wife and son, mind you. This army camp isn't a suitable place for families. Dwight also travels cross-country in the first transcontinental motor convoy of 1919. While being careful not to downplay the impression that Germany's highways, or Autobahn, will make on him, this experience on America's early, bumpy, hazardous roads will contribute to the future president later pushing Congress for a highway bill. But that story is a ways down the road, so to speak. Back at Camp Meade in the fall, the still bedraggled captain meets another up-and-coming

• 19:09Greg Jackson?

  tank aficionado: Colonel George Patton. Together, the two experiment with the new technology, spending quite a bit of time together, and sometimes even barely escaping tank-based accidents. Wanting to publish their discoveries, the men are told their ideas are “not only wrong but dangerous,” and if they are published, they could be looking at a court martial. This bureaucratic sanctioning only brings Ike and George closer. The two men know they’re on to something. If only the rest of the Army would realize that. But alas, the National Defense Act of 1920 formally abolishes the tank corps, grouping it with the infantry. George heads back to the cavalry, while Ike pushes on, hoping the Army will soon appreciate

• 19:54Greg Jackson?

  his new ideas. In early 1921, Ike and Mamie’s son, Dowd Eisenhower—or Ike, as the little three-year-old is affectionately known—contracts scarlet fever. He dies. Only a year later, in 1922, the still grieving captain is shipped off to Panama. It’s while stationed here that the couple’s second son, John, is born. The small family is moved back stateside in 1924. But Ike doesn’t stay put long. General Blackjack Pershing requests the seasoned scholar revise the guidebook to the American battlefield in Europe. Yet, before Ike can make a good start of that, he’s admitted to the Army War College for more training in 1927.

• 20:37Greg Jackson?

  He graduates first in his class, a big academic step up from his West Point years. The blue-eyed major then returns to the Army guidebook, traveling to France to complete the project before returning to DC in 1929, where he slowly forges a relationship with General Douglas MacArthur.

• 20:56Greg Jackson?

  On January 1st, 1933, Ike begins working directly for the general. But he doesn't have an official title. As Ike later recalls, "I wasn't really an aide. The job didn't really have a name. I called myself his good man Friday. My office was right next to his, and he could just call me at any time. He gave me chores. For example, I'd prepare the annual report for the chief of staff. He gave me a few ideas, and I'd work them up." As we heard about in episode 197, Douglas MacArthur is selected to advise the newly established US Commonwealth of the Philippines. His right-hand man, Dwight Eisenhower, goes along.

• 21:37Greg Jackson?

  In October 1935, the Eisenhower and MacArthur families arrive in Manila as military advisers to the new government. Ike serves for four long, tense, often challenging years, finally being promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1936. By 1939, Ike wants to go home. His boss, however, desperately wants the skilled military diplomat to stay. But Ike pushes back. "General, in my opinion, the United States cannot remain out of this war for long. I want to go home as soon as possible. I want to participate in the preparatory work that I'm sure is going to be intense." As you can imagine, Doug is far from pleased. Philippine President Manuel Quezon takes the news better.

• 22:20Greg Jackson?

  Finally, at the end of 1939, the Eisenhower family heads back to the States. For the next few years, Dwight bounces around. Over the summer of 1940, at Fort Lewis, the lieutenant colonel is appalled at the lack of urgency he sees among the troops. Burton S. Barr, a future politician but current platoon leader and second lieutenant, will later recall, "One of the first things he did was call all the battalion officers together, and he said, 'If any of you think we are not going to war, I don't want you in my battalion. We're going to war. This country is going to war, and I want people who are prepared to fight that war.'" I tell you, nobody, nobody was talking like that at the time.

• 23:05Greg Jackson?

  Ike also participates in the Louisiana maneuvers in the summer of 1941 that we heard about in episode 189. I can only imagine how he felt during these maneuvers, especially after the tank setup at Camp Colt in 1918 and subsequent testing at Meade in 1920. Is he proud that his and George Patton's thinking is finally being taken seriously? Speculation aside, the US Army is delighted by their brilliant strategist, and Ike is temporarily promoted to Brigadier General in September 1941. Then, as we know, on December 7, 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, thrusting the US into the war.

• 23:47Greg Jackson?

  Five days later, December 12, Ike gets the call from DC. Secretary of the General Staff Walter Bedell Smith places the call. As the receiver is picked up, he asks, "Is that you, Ike?" The Brigadier General answers, "Yes. The chief says for you to hop a plane and get up here right away. Tell your boss that formal orders will come through later." Mamie remembers her husband being, quote, "hurried and unhappy. I knew he was hoping the Washington duty would be temporary." Close quote. But then again, when have Ike's stateside assignments ever been temporary? And this one holds that pattern too. On December 19, he's permanently assigned to DC as Deputy Chief for the Pacific and

• 24:32Greg Jackson?

  Far East, answering directly to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, George C. Marshall. And as Ike settles in, Washington, DC prepares to go to war.

• 24:58Greg Jackson?

  I trust you recall from our holiday special in episode 197 that shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill makes a Christmas visit to the White House. Of course you do. How could we forget the British Bulldog standing in the buff as he hides... Nothing from the President of the United States. But I digress. That's not the key takeaway we need to remember from the visit. What matters is that it enables Winston and President Franklin D. Roosevelt to hold the Arcadia Conference, which formalizes an alliance of the United Nations, often called the Allies, and solidifies the Anglo-American war effort while formalizing the U.S.

• 25:42Greg Jackson?

  Joint Chiefs of Staff. As General Dwight Eisenhower later notes, "The Arcadia Conference serves two key purposes." To quote him, "It creates 'a workable system by which the American and British Chiefs of Staff could operate effectively as a team and confirms early agreements upon the region in which should be the object of our attacks.'" Another major outcome is the creation of an unprecedented dual-leadership body, the Anglo-American Combined Chiefs of Staff, CCS, the highest allied strategic planning organization. As we mentioned in episode 197, their first meeting takes place on January 23rd, 1942. Under U.S. Army Chief of Staff George C.

• 26:24Greg Jackson?

  Marshall and British Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, the group convenes weekly in the conference room of the Public Health Building in DC, first on Tuesdays at 3:00, then Thursdays, and then finally Fridays. But that'll do for reminders. Now, we turn our attention to this joint U.S. UK effort to protect their shared sphere, the Atlantic, an immense battlefield growing more violent by the week since America's entry into the war. While German submarines, or U-boats, have long been attacking British-bound ships in the Atlantic, it's on December 9th, 1941, just after Japan's infamous attack and amid

• 27:05Greg Jackson?

  the flurry of declarations of war by and against the United States, that Adolf Hitler informs Vice Admiral Karl Dounitz that all remaining restrictions on U-boat attacks against the U.S. are lifted. Delighted that his operations are no longer clandestine, Befehlschaber der Unterschuboter, that is, Commander-in-Chief of U-boats, writes in his diary, "The attempt must be made to exploit these advantages, which will disappear in the foreseeable future, and to strike a blow at the American coast with a drumbeat." Up against the ferocious Nazi naval leader is Commander in Chief of the US Navy, aka "The Commish," Admiral Ernest Joseph Keane.

• 27:48Greg Jackson?

  The 64-year-old Ohio native, due to retire in 1942, is a well-respected lifetime Navy man, often credited with recognizing the power and potential of aircraft carriers at sea. But, for logistical and doctrinal reasons, that gift of foresight in the skies doesn't seem to carry into the depths. Despite Vice Admiral Adolphus Andrews, Commander of the Eastern Seafront, that is, the US East Coastline, warning that, quote, "Should the enemy submarines operate off this coast, this command has no force available to take action against them, either offensively or defensively," close quote, Admiral Ernest Keane remains unconvinced that immediate large-scale changes are necessary.

• 28:31Greg Jackson?

  This lack of American readiness is exactly what Vice Admiral Carl Dunitz has been counting on. Though U-boats are scattered across the globe, German forces are well-positioned to strike American shipping in the Atlantic. Crewed by experienced sailors, German U-boats find American merchant ships, still sailing independently, poorly guarded, and silhouetted by a brightly lit coastline. Easy prey. And so, on January 13th, Germany's Operation Drumbeat begins. By the end of the month, more than 20 US ships are sunk in American waters. A staggering success for the Germans. As Carl later recalls, "The U-boats found that conditions there were almost exactly

• 29:15Greg Jackson?

  those of normal peacetime. The coast was not blacked out, and the towns were ablaze of bright lights. There were anti-submarine patrols, but they were wholly lacking in experience. A few attacks with depth charges were delivered by American patrol vessels, but the attackers did not display their requisite perseverance, and the attacks were abandoned too quickly. Although, quite often, thanks to the shallow water, they stood a good chance of succeeding." The aircraft crews employed on anti-submarine work were also untrained. The merchantmen used their radios without any restrictions.

• 29:56Greg Jackson?

  They frequently signaled their positions with the result that the U-boats were able to form a very useful overall picture of the shipping in their vicinity. By late January, the Americans know they're in trouble. Yet, our commish, Admiral Ernest King, remains reluctant to act. He rejects a British Admiralty proposal for a joint convoy control system and refuses to impose coastal blackouts. Historians, including Dwight Eisenhower, will later call this a grave mistake. And as February unfolds, the situation only worsens.

• 30:36Greg Jackson?

  It's February 28th, 1942. We're off the coast of Cape May, New Jersey, aboard the Wicks-class destroyer USS Jacob Jones, which has just finished patrolling for survivors of the torpedoed tanker, RP Rezer. In the galley, 22-year-old fireman, second class, Joseph Paul Tidwell, is grabbing sugar for his recently brewed coffee. But then, all of a sudden, the ship shudders. Pots and pans fly, and 15 seconds after the initial jolt, another explosion rocks the hull. Two torpedoes have struck the Jacob Jones. And worse, they've hit the munitions magazine. Racing to the deck to help, Joseph finds a dire situation. He gets to work, assisting survivors to lifeboats and rafts.

• 31:22Greg Jackson?

  As he does, he's certain that he sees the German U-boat that struck them, later identified as U-578, roughly 150 yards off the port side. It seems the German crew is happily watching their handiwork, simply taking in the sight of the rapidly sinking destroyer. Thirty or so survivors on four rafts managed to escape the wreckage in the frigid February waters of the Atlantic. Looking on, they see that most of the destroyer is beneath the waves, leaving only the fantail above water. There, the ship's depth charges—barrel-shaped canisters of about 200 pounds of torpedoes, set to detonate at depth—remain in their racks. Oh, this could get bad. And it does.

• 32:04Greg Jackson?

  As the fantail sinks and the charges reach their preset depth, they explode with devastating effect. The blast tears through the cold water, throwing survivors into the sea. Many are killed or badly wounded, while the frigid temperatures add another deadly threat. 131 officers and crew members are dead, including three sets of brothers. Only 11 survive. While Pearl Harbor might have still felt like a distant wound and threat to some mainland Americans, a destroyer sunk by Nazi Germany right off the coast of New Jersey doesn't. The sinking of USS Jacob Jones creates a sense of vulnerability and fear that's quite

• 32:46Greg Jackson?

  unfamiliar to a people long used to thinking of the Pacific and Atlantic as natural barriers to distant wars fought over there. As the sinking of the Jacob Jones becomes national news, the public inserts itself into the conversation about the Atlantic. Yet, even still, Admiral King holds back. He postpones the formation of coastal convoys until "enough escorts are available." And oh, does this draw criticism. Come March, the Brits are incredibly frustrated. After all, it's not like America is the only one suffering. Uncle Sam's Island ally is feeling the sting of these German U-boats too. British naval officers, including the First Lord of the Admiralty, head to DC to try

• 33:31Greg Jackson?

  to talk some sense into Ernest. Roger Wynn, the head of the submarine tracking room in the Admiralty's Operational Intelligence Center, or OIC, finally gets through Washington DC's red tape. He speaks with Admiral Ernest King's Deputy Chief of Staff, Admiral Richard E. Edwards. But Richard isn't having it. He tells Roger that Americans want to learn their own lessons, and they've got plenty of ships to do so. This likely sarcastic remark pushes the Brit over the edge. His temper flares as he answers: "The trouble is, Admiral, it's not your bloody ships you're losing! A lot of them are ours!" Finally, finally, something snaps. Richard concedes, and Roger is in to see Ernest.

• 34:16Greg Jackson?

  The US naval commander likely knew that changes could not be delayed much longer, and quickly acquiesces. An American version of the OIC is founded, with Commander Kenneth A. Knowles in charge. But even as Kenneth works with the British, improving tracking, and trying to crack the Nazi U-boats new cipher, nicknamed Triton, losses continue. In fact, in mid-March, American signals get crossed, literally. The US destroyer Dickerson is hit by the American merchantman SS Liberator. The sheer numbers are looking grim. In April, President Franklin Roosevelt’s longtime right-hand man, Harry Hopkins, sends word that the US has lost 1.2 million tons of shipping, more than half of the tankers,

• 34:59Greg Jackson?

  in these early months of 1942 alone. If something isn’t done, they might as well start calling America’s arsenal of democracy, to use FDR’s phrase for the nation’s buildup of arms that we learned about in Episodes 188 and 189, “The Arsenal of Atlantis.” More is done. That same April, Admiral Ernest King agrees to protect of coastal convoys. Finally. Implemented along the US coastline in mid-May, this diminishes U-boat attacks, all along the US East Coast, at least. Karl Dounis is hardly finished. The German vice admiral answers by shifting his U-boats’ focus south, striking Allied shipping in the not-so-well-protected Caribbean.

• 35:43Greg Jackson?

  US Army Chief of Staff George Marshall is fed up with the lack of progress his country is making by summer 1942. So he makes a few changes, and sends some strongly-worded letters. First, George sends Dwight Eisenhower to London to command US forces in the European Theater. Yes, at last, Ike is leaving behind his DC desk job, and does so at the rank of Major General. The promotion alone shocked Ike. It came last March, just days after George had told him that he was going to stay at his DC desk. But after decades of being told he was too smart and too capable to send to the field, Ike stormed out of the room, shouting, “I don’t give a damn!”

• 36:26Greg Jackson?

  Quite a thing to say to the US Army Chief of Staff, and Ike died a little inside the moment the words came out of his mouth. Then again, just before the door slammed shut, he caught a glimpse of a smile creeping across George's face. Personally, I can't help but wonder, in this moment, did George, who, as a young officer in France, thought he had killed his own career with a blunt outburst of his own on General Blackjack Pershing, if you remember that tale from episode 133, maybe see a bit of himself in Ike? Well, either way, Ike found himself a temporary Major General only three days later, and on June 24th, 1942, he arrives in the United Kingdom to take command of the European Theater of Operations, United States Army.

• 37:10Greg Jackson?

  Oh, and weeks later, he's bumped up again to temporary Lieutenant General. Let's pause and just take in Ike's rank advancement for just a moment. In a matter of two years, Dwight Eisenhower has gone from Lieutenant Colonel to a three-star general. Now, you can say he's well-liked, he is, but he's also just exceptional at what he does. Ike's studied and tested the boundaries of modern warfare for years, arguably since West Point. To me, it's pretty clear that Ike's promotions thus far, and everything still to come, aren't luck, it's merit. But to continue with George Marshall's changes and strongly worded letters, he's also fed

• 37:53Greg Jackson?

  up with Admiral Ernest King's performance. On June 19th, the Army Chief of Staff writes to the naval commander, "The losses by submarines, off our Atlantic seaboard and in the Caribbean now, have been brought to my attention. Has every conceivable improvised means been brought to bear on this situation? I am fearful that another month or two of this will so cripple our means of transport that we will be unable to bring sufficient men and planes to bear against the enemy in critical theaters to exercise a determining influence on the war."

• 38:26Greg Jackson?

  Three days later, June 21st. Ernest replies: "I have long been aware, of course, of the implications of the submarine situation as pointed out in your memorandum. I have employed, and will continue to employ, not only regular forces but also such improvised means as gives any promise of usefulness." Judging from this letter, it seems that the admiral wasn't ignorant about the need for convoys. He just didn't realize that any escort was better than no escort, and kept waiting to build up their numbers. Regrettably, that delay has been deadly. Between January and August 1942, German U-boats sink so many Allied vessels that they call

• 39:08Greg Jackson?

  this phase of the Battle of the Atlantic "the quote-unquote 'second happy time,' or, more mockingly, 'the American turkey shoot.'" To quantify that, by the end of August, Nazi U-boats have sunk 485 ships and 2.6 tons off the coast of North and Central America. Although, if you trust Karl Dunic's numbers, it's more like 585 ships and over 3 million gross tons. Regardless of who you believe, it's a massive number. And this isn't only frustrating to American leaders and the British Bulldog and his government, it's also frustrating to Uncle Sam's ally, or rather, his "comrade" farther to the east: Joseph Stalin.

• 39:49Greg Jackson?

  Yes, as Germany's second happy time in the Battle of the Atlantic draws to a close, it's time for us to hit pause on this naval conflict and check in on the Soviet Union. But we can hardly just pick up in the summer of 1942. There's simply too much to the story. You know what that means. Rewind.

• 40:23Greg Jackson?

  We covered the rise of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the USSR, in episode 186, and its path into the Second World War between episodes 187 and 189. Nonetheless, let's refresh our memory on its entry.

• 40:39Greg Jackson?

  The war in Europe begins September 1st, 1939, when Germany invades Poland, confident that the USSR won't intervene, thanks to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, their non-aggression pact, which also divides Poland. The USSR claims its slice on September 17th. With a non-aggression pact in place with Japan as well as of April 1941, the USSR is, on paper, at peace with the Axis powers. Now, Stalin isn't foolish enough to expect that peace will hold. Nonetheless, he also believes that Adolf won't dream of attacking his nation before finishing with the British. But the Soviet general secretary is wrong.

• 41:19Greg Jackson?

  Adolf Hitler launches his attack on the USSR, Operation Barbarossa, on June 22nd, 1941.

• 41:28Greg Jackson?

  Yes, familiar stuff, and again, you can revisit episodes 186 through 189 if you need more details. But now, let's continue the Soviets' tale. Adolf sends a massive force against the USSR, around 3 million men. With just under 3,000 aircraft and just over 3,000 tanks, his Panzer divisions blitzkrieg into Soviet territory hard and fast. The Nazis also systematically target and murder local Jews, communists, and others they deem lesser than. But, those are stories for another day. Soon, the Soviets are going scorched earth, burning their own crops and infrastructure to slow the Nazi advance.

• 42:08Greg Jackson?

  And on July 13th, Adolf's relentless attacks on both the USSR and the UK draw the two vastly different nations together to sign a mutual assistance pact. It's a classic "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" situation. President Franklin Roosevelt sees that too. On September 29th, 1941, FDR writes to Stalin with a promise: "I am very sure that Hitler made a profound, strategic mistake when he attacked your country. I am confident that ways will be found to provide the material and supplies necessary to fight him on all fronts, including your own."

• 42:44Greg Jackson?

  The Moscow Protocol is signed on October 1st, and though the Americans aren't yet physically involved in conflict, they agree to lend a lease clothes, food, aircraft, tanks, vehicles, and, most importantly, funds to the USSR. But of course, America is soon physically involved, as 1941 ends in a sad state of affairs for all those opposed to the Axis powers. The British are on the ropes. The Soviets can feel Adolf's breath with German troops only 90 miles outside of Moscow. And, as we know from episode 194, a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor devastates the Americans. Thus, we get the Arcadia Conference, which, on January 1st, 1942, creates the alliance

• 43:27Greg Jackson?

  that FDR dubs "The United Nations." Yes, we touched on that earlier, and again, they'll typically be called simply "The Allies." In total, 26 nations sign on, but we'll keep our focus on the big three. That's the term used to describe the US, the UK, and the USSR, or, alternatively, their leaders: FDR, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. By the end of February, US shipments to the USSR are trickling in. On February 20th, Stalin writes to Franklin to welcome the new American ambassador, 69-year-old Admiral William Stanley, and to urge speeding up aid to his war-tattered nation.

• 44:09Greg Jackson?

  Meanwhile, Winston Churchill remains wary of Joseph Stalin. He worries that, if push comes to shove, the Soviet communist dictator might yet ally with the German fascist dictator. Franklin doesn't share that fear, but understands why Russo-British relations could be strained. As he remarks to the Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Morgenthau, "Every promise the English have made to the Russians, they have fallen down on. The only reason we stand so well with the Russians is that, up to date, we have kept our promises." In March 1942, FDR prioritizes Joseph Stalin over Winston Churchill, essentially removing all strings attached to the lend-lease program for the USSR. Most of what's sent is raw materials, but the American public isn't too pleased with their

• 44:54Greg Jackson?

  president, helping out on a front of the war that seems pretty far from home, one where Uncle Sam's boys aren't doing any of the fighting. Nonetheless, supplies are sent via polar convoys through the Arctic Circle. And yes, even in these frigid waters, Nazi U-boats are lying in wait up by Iceland and Scandinavia. In addition to providing essential materials, the convoys prove to the antsy Soviet leader that the Allies are in fact helping his war effort, even if they can't comply with demands for an invasion of Western Europe quite yet, which Stalin wants in order to take the pressure off his own beleaguered defending forces. But the general secretary remains antsy. He wants to talk with his fellow national leaders about post-war borders.

• 45:39Greg Jackson?

  Franklin and Winston aren't quite ready for that yet, even if their August 1941 Atlantic Conference included conversations about a post-war world. It's one thing to talk about such things between two friends committed to democracy. It's another to do so with a dictator, even if you happen to be militarily aligned. Still, FDR has an idea. What if he invites Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, you know, the man behind the 1939 Molotov-Ribbenthal Pact, to talk about opening that potential second front? Oh, that works. Joseph Stalin jumps. Or, according to the Soviet Foreign Minister, it was always his boss's plan to get the US and the UK to agree to support an invasion of Western Europe.

• 46:25Greg Jackson?

  But then again, Franklin sent a delegation to London with a memorandum on operations in Western Europe back in April. So, it really does seem like everyone's been parallel planning. Regardless of who you believe, after a short unsuccessful stop in London, the Soviet Foreign Minister arrives on American soil on May 29th, ready for a conversation.

• 46:50Greg Jackson?

  It's May 30th, 1942. We're at the White House, where the stout, mustachioed, and bespectacled Soviet Foreign Minister, Yevchislav Molotov, is ever so pleased to be sitting down, finally, with President Franklin Roosevelt. He's joined by Russia's Ambassador to the United States, Maxim Litvinov, and several key American leaders: Harry Hopkins, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, US Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, and the Navy's Comrade, Admiral Ernest King. Likely still jet-lagged, Yevchislav Molotov is nonetheless sharp as ever, or at least he feels sharp. From what the Soviets sees, he quickly convinces the Americans that a second front must be opened this summer.

• 47:35Greg Jackson?

  Following Joseph Stalin's instructions, the emissary waxes eloquent on this bringing victory. If the Allied forces in 1942 pulled back at least forty enemy divisions from our front, the balance of forces would radically shift in our favor, and Hitler's fate would be sealed. To the Russians' astonishment, FDR replies that this is... ...a legitimate, reasonable demand. Emboldened, the bespectacled diplomat continues. You will eventually have to bear the brunt of the war, and if Hitler becomes the undisputed master of the continent, next year will unquestionably be tougher than this one.

• 48:20Greg Jackson?

  Franklin appears to agree. He consults his Army Chief of Staff. Are we advanced enough with our preparations to be able to report to Mr. Stalin that we are ready to open the second front? George Marshall nods, giving FDR the go-ahead. The President turns back to his Soviet guest. Please report to your government that it may expect the opening of the second front this year. And so, the coordinated assault on France, to take place during the summer of 1942, code-named "Sledgehammer," appears to be a go.

• 48:56Greg Jackson?

  Franklin is greatly pleased by the Soviet visit. He writes to Joseph Stalin on June 6th: "I appreciate ever so much your sending Mr. Molotov to see me. We had a very satisfactory visit." Soviet Foreign Minister Vichislav Molotov is also content. He has American assurances of preparations for an invasion and second front in Europe later this year. He makes his way back via England, hoping to get the Brits on board. He gets a likely "yes", as Winston is careful to add:

• 49:27Speaker 01

  "We can therefore give no promise on the matter."

• 49:30Greg Jackson?

  to the aide memoir about a 1942 invasion. For the time being, the big three, that is FDR, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin, are happy. Well, as happy as you can be when your country is being invaded and/or you're at war. Cooperation appears to be working. That June, US Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Soviet Ambassador Maxim Litvinov sign the Master-Lent Lease Agreement between the US and the USSR. But the Nazis are relentless. At the end of the month, on June 28th, they proceed with Case Blue against Caucasus' oilfields and grain, roughly between the Black and Caspian Seas. Once again, the Red Army needs supplies, urgently.

• 50:14Greg Jackson?

  Meanwhile, Joseph Stalin is urging his allies, the Americans and the Brits, to make good on their promise for Operation Sledgehammer, that is, the invasion of Western Europe. He sends Winston Churchill what the British Bulldog calls "a rough and surly note", to quote the Soviet leader's July 23rd letter: "I am afraid the question of creating a second front in Europe is not being treated with the seriousness it deserves. Taking fully into account the present position of the Soviet German Front, I must state in the most emphatic manner that the Soviet government cannot acquiesce in the postponement of a second front in Europe until 1943."

• 51:00Greg Jackson?

  The British PM checks in with his friend and American counterpart Franklin. The two are worried about poking the bear, so to speak. They decide that things would be better settled in person. After all, they've got to get on the same page before responding to Stalin. And so, in May, Winston Churchill once again makes the trip across the Atlantic. His main goal: convince FDR that, at this point in the war, an invasion of Western Europe would be suicidal. In the PM's direct words, "It would turn the English Channel into..." "...a river of blood." His side-goal is to discuss "heavy water," but we'll get to the significance of those conversations in a much later episode.

• 51:43Greg Jackson?

  Later that summer, in July, American military leaders arrive in London for yet another discussion about where to engage the German army in the fall. They meet up with our good friend Dwight Eisenhower before heading into conversations with their British allies. Just because the British are anti-Sledgehammer, that is, the planned invasion of Western Europe, that doesn't mean they come empty-handed without alternate ideas. What if they lean into Operation Gymnast, which is a planned invasion of Axis-held North Africa? Franklin seems to be on board, but his Joint Chiefs hesitate. After all, George Marshall has personally promised Vichislav Molotov that the Americans are a go for sledgehammer. Hmm.

• 52:25Greg Jackson?

  Nonetheless, after quite a bit of back-and-forth, the American military leaders come to agree that it's time to scrap sledgehammer in favor of going into North Africa. This plan will ultimately take a new code name: Operation Torch. FDR is delighted. To him, it's "of the highest importance that US ground troops be brought into action against the enemy in 1942." But now, someone must tell Stalin. Though accompanied by a joint British-American entourage to demonstrate agreement, the task falls to Winston Churchill. It's just about 7:00 PM, August 12, 1942.

• 53:07Greg Jackson?

  British Prime Minister Winston Churchill only arrived in Moscow a few hours ago, and now, he's at the seat of Soviet power: the ancient, austere, red-walled and tower-guarded Kremlin, ready to meet with none other than the head of the Soviet Union: Joseph Stalin. Sitting down with a mustachioed Soviet, the British Bulldog begins by explaining that...

• 53:28Speaker 01

  I wish to speak frankly, and I would like to invite complete frankness.

• 53:33Greg Jackson?

  Okay, good start. Then Winston drops the bad news. He tells Stalin that the American and British governments aren't yet prepared to launch an attack in September, which is the last month it would be possible, given the changes in weather. As the PM later recalls...

• 53:49Speaker 01

  I told Stalin that I was well aware that this plan offered no help to Russia in 1942. At this point Stalin's face crumpled up into a frown, but he did not interrupt.

• 54:02Greg Jackson?

  Okay, that's as good an outcome as Winston could expect. The husky Brit then goes on to explain precisely why the proposed and seemingly agreed-upon attack won't go forward. Then, to quote the Brit again...

• 54:15Speaker 01

  Stalin, whose glumness had by now much increased, said that, as he understood it, "We were unable to create a second front with any large force, and unwilling even to land six divisions." "I said this was so. War was war, but not folly, and it would be folly to invite a disaster which would help nobody. I said I feared the news I brought was not good news. If by throwing in 150,000 to 200,000 men, we could render him aid by drawing away from the Russian front appreciable German forces, we would not shrink from this course on the grounds of loss. But if it drew no men away and spoiled the prospects for 1943, it would be a great error."

• 55:00Speaker 01

  Stalin, who had become restless, said that his view about war was different. "A man who was not prepared to take risks could not win a war. Why were we so afraid of the Germans?" He could not understand. "His experience showed that troops must be bloodied in battle. If you did not blood your troops, you had no idea what their value was."

• 55:25Greg Jackson?

  Clearly in disagreement, the two men go back and forth a bit more until, finally, Winston unfurls a map of North Africa to lay out the new plan: Operation Torch. Stalin is intrigued. He asks about the timing of the operation. Winston suggests October. A little overly optimistic, but nonetheless, the British Bulldog will later recall that...

• 55:47Speaker 01

  This seemed a great relief to the Russians.

• 55:50Greg Jackson?

  Moreover, he's absolutely impressed with Stalin's mind. As opposed to other military leaders who took months to grasp the brilliance of this approach, Stalin takes only a matter of minutes to connect the dots on how this will help in four ways as it: 1. hurts the Nazis in North Africa 2. "overawes" Spain 3. hits the Germans against the French who, though under the Nazi thumb, ostensibly rule much of North Africa 4. thrusts Italy into the fight Winston adds a fifth and final point:

• 56:23Speaker 01

  The military advantages of freeing the Mediterranean when still another front could be opened. In September, we must win in Egypt and in October in North Africa. All the time holding the enemy in northern France. If we could end the year in possession of North Africa, we could threaten the belly of Hitler's Europe.

• 56:42Greg Jackson?

  Seemingly on board, Stalin relays the plan back to Winston in order to ensure he's got it properly, as he remarks: "Migold prosper, this undertaking." Four hours after they first sat down, at 11pm, the two men part ways in what Winston calls:

• 56:59Speaker 01

  An atmosphere of goodwill.

• 57:05Greg Jackson?

  This Moscow conference lasts until August 16th. It includes a formal state dinner, more personal meetings between Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin, and a large conversation with military generals. That last one doesn't go so well, but, no matter. The stage has been set. While America's Marines, sailors, and soldiers have long been at it in the Pacific, where they've suffered so much loss in the Philippines and elsewhere, only recently seen the tide start to turn amid the Battle of the Coral Sea and especially the Battle of Midway this very summer, it's now time for an entirely separate set of Uncle Sam's boys to enter the fight on the other side of the world as well. Joined by their British allies, the Yanks are carrying out the invasion of Axis-controlled North Africa.

• 57:49Greg Jackson?

  But as Operation Torch moves forward and America enters a second front, it's hard not to wonder, will these quickly-trained doughboys, soon to be called GIs, really be ready by the time their boots are on North African soil? Can they outwit or outfight Nazi Germany's famous desert fox, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel? We'll find out next time.

• 58:18Greg Jackson?

  History that Doesn't Suck is created and hosted by me, Greg Jackson. Episode researched and written by Greg Jackson and Riley Neubauer. Sir Winston Churchill, read by Tim Wells. Production by Airship. Audio editing by Mohammed Shazay. Sound design by Molly Bach. Theme music composed by Greg Jackson. Arrangement and additional composition by Lindsey Graham of Airship. For bibliography of all primary and secondary sources consulted in writing this episode, visit https://htdspodcast.com.

• 58:56Greg Jackson?

  HTDS is supported by fans at https://htdspodcast.com/membership. My gratitude to you kind souls providing funding to help us keep going, thank you. And a special thanks to our patrons whose monthly gift puts them at producer status. Adam Goran, Ahmed Chapman, Amy and Ross Hensman, Andrew Nissen, Andrew Sherwin, Anna M. Hutter, Art Lang, Baby Nico, Bob Stinnet, Bonnie Brooks, Brian Gavigan, Brian Boils, Brian Goodson, Bruce Hibbert, Kayden Hallitz, Charles Plendenin, Charles Starkey, Charlie Majes, Christopher Merchant, Christopher Lyle, Christopher Pullman, Christopher Young, Cody Brown, Colleen Martin, Colin Ferris Pennington, Connor Hogan, Craig Burhost,

• 59:36Greg Jackson?

  Dan G., Daniel Beacham, Daniel Lacana, Darren Chambers, Daryl the Kid Lovell, David Rifkin, Dean Heiser, Deronte Spencer, Donald Moore, Eli Edwards, Elizabeth Chris Jansen, Ellen Stewart, Ernesto Franco, Ernie Lomaster, Ethan Lowery, Ivan Thompson, G2303, Jeffrey Nelson, George J. Sherwood, Gareth Griffin, Gina Johnson, Gordon Garwood, Henry Brunge...

• 59:59Greg Jackson?

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• 1:00:44Greg Jackson?

  Owen W. Sedlak Paul Hugenroth Philip May Randy Keen Rich Ruck Rick Brown Rob Dravovic Robert Shelton Rock Day Ryan Fogelman Sam Holtzman Sarah Prescott Sarah Traywood Scott Hurst Shane Smith Shannon Hoagland Sharon Thieson Sean Baines Sean Collins Stacy Ritter Steve Williams The Creepy Girl Thomas Churchill Thomas Matthew Edwards Thomas Sabbath Tim and Sarah Turner Todd Curran Tom Bestafka Travis Cox Walter M. Ames Wesley McKee William Durham William Curry William Thompson And Zach Jackson Join me in two weeks, or I'd like to tell you a story.