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A Guide To The PV 2 Harpoon

The PV 2 Harpoon was a bomber that was in high demand by both the United States and the United Kingdom. To discover the history behind the PV 2 Harpoon, simply continue reading. Especially if you have a keen interest in aircraft, WWII, or military aircraft. You’ll even learn where working models of the PV 2 Harpoon exist and where you can visit one at a museum.

It was designed by the United States Navy:

The PV 2 Harpoon was designed by the United States Navy and was a twin-engine medium bomber, which saw a lot of action in Europe and the Pacific during WWII. One of the purposes of the PV 2 Harpoon was to be used as an anti-submarine aircraft.

Its first flight took place in 1941.

The PV 2 Harpoon’s first flight took place in 1941. The year that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and the United States decided to take a more active role in WWII.

Its first flight took place approximately two years before it was first used by the US military in combat in the Pacific in 1943. During which time it served as a patrol bomber. However, the PV 2 Harpoon was first used in Combat in Europe in 1942. As the Royal Air Force which was part of the British armed forces chose to use it as a bomber in Europe at the end of 1942. Due to its success, in Europe, the United States Navy decided to use it in the Pacific the following year. In order to try and regain control of the Pacific and to stop Japanese submarines from freely moving around the Pacific basin.

It was a popular choice with international military forces:

Not only did the US military rely on the PV 2 Harpoon, but the model was also used by the military forces of Portugal, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and the Soviet Union. Which is a testament to its design and functionality.

There are still airworthy models which are privately owned:

In the United States alone, there are still original airworthy PV 2 Harpoon aircraft in flight in Minnesota, California, Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona. Which is a testament to the design and build quality of the PV 2 Harpoon.

There are models in museums around the world:

If you’d like to see a PV 2 Harpoon in person, you’ll be able to see one in Johannesburg, South Africa, Auckland, New Zealand, Pensacola, Florida, Tuscon, Arizona, and North Myrtle Beach, South Florida. So if you would love to see a model in person, it’s well worth planning a trip in the United States or to South Africa or New Zealand to see one in person.

In conclusion, whether you have an interest in military aircraft, WWII, or aircraft in general, hopefully, you now have a sense of how important the PV 2 Harpoon was around the world. Especially in allied countries during WII.

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A Guide to Lake Washington Seattle

Lake Washington which is located in the state of Seattle was named after a former president of the United States, George Washington. To discover a handy guide to the natural freshwater lake, simply continue reading. In order to discover the history behind Lake Washington as well as its place in Seattle today. You’ll even learn about a few famous celebrities who grew up on Mercer Island which is located in Lake Washington.

How was Lake Washington formed?

While Washington state is home to numerous man-made lakes, Lake Washington was naturally formed. It is a ribbon lake and was created when it was excavated by glaciers which caused erosion which created Lake Washington.

Lake Washington size:

Lake Washington is incredibly large and covers 88km2 as such it is the largest lake in King Country and the second-largest natural lake in Washington.

Lake Washington Shipyard:

Lake Washington Shipyard has a lengthy history and was originally constructed in the early 19th century. Originally it was known as the Anderson Shipyard. At the time Anderson Shipyard focused on building large ferries and wooden tug boats.

The shipyard did not become the Lake Washington Shipyard, as it’s known today until it was acquired by Charles Burckhardt in 1923. At which point in time the shipyard stopped building ferries and wooden tug boats and began building steel ships. It’s well worth noting that during WWII, the Shipyard ended up employing 9,000 workers, in order to meet the growing demand for ships. Some of the notable ships that were built at the Lake Washington Shipyard include the USS Aloe, the USS Corson, and the USS Gardiners Bay.

Improved water quality:

After the water quality in Lake Washington started to decline in purity during the 1950s, efforts have been made to improve the lake’s water quality. Today the water in Lake Washington is twice as pure as it was in the 1950s.

Bordering towns and cities:

Some of the waterfront towns and cities that border Lake Washington include Seattle, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Yarrow Point, Hunts Point, and Medina. Due to its proximity to a large variety of towns ad cities, Lake Washington tends to be busy.

Mercer Island:

Mercer Island is located at the southern end of Lake Washington and has a population of over 20,000. You don’t need a boat to visit Mercer Island as it’s connected to the mainland via two road bridges. Which makes getting to Mercer Island a breeze. Some famous individuals who grew up on Mercer Island or call the island home include Paul Allen, one of the co-founders of the tech giant Microsoft, NBA player Paul Rashad, comedian and actor Joel McHale, Alan Mulally the CEO of the automotive company Ford and Steve Miller of the Stever Miller Band. Even Barack Obama’s mom Ann Dunham called Mercer Island home.

So if you are interested in learning about Seattle’s lakes, hopefully, you enjoyed learning about Lake Washington, which was named after George Washington and is a natural lake that is large enough to house an island that is home to over 20,000 individuals.

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John Wayne Yacht Wild Goose Facts

To learn the incredible tale of John Wayne’s private yacht the Wild Goose, simply continue reading. As you’ll learn about its background in the US Navy, her time serving during WWII, and her life as the private yacht of one of the most famous western actors in the world. the legendary John Wayne.

It was once part of the US Navy’s fleet:

While the iconic actor, John Wayne named his ship the Wild Goose, it originally was a US Navy YMS-1 class ship known as a Yard Mine Sweeper.

She was active during WWII:

As a naval ship, the Wild Goose was stationed primarily in the Aleutian Islands, during WWII. Her job was to sweep for enemy minefields at Attu and the US minefields at Kiska.

She was supposed to be involved in the scheduled invasion of Parmishiru Island:

She was scheduled to be refitted to participate in the scheduled invasion of Parmishiru Island, however before the invasion could take place, Japan who was fighting with Germany as part of the axis decided to surrender. At the time the Wild Goose was on her way to be refitted for the canceled invasion. She was ultimately removed from the Navy’s register of ships in 1946 after which point she lived on as a private yacht.

She several sister ships:

The most famous of the Wild Goose’s sister ships is the Calypso, which was famously owned by Jaques Cousteau. Cousteau was a famous French naval officer, scientist, filmmaker, and author. Who was passionate about the ocean.

She was owned by Harold Jones:

The first civilian owner of the Wild Goose was Harold Jones, who was the owner of Vancouver Tug & Barge. Jones used the Wild Goose which he named La Beverie to multiple parts of the world. Examples of which included Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Hawaii.

She was also owned by millionaire Max Wyman:

Harold Jones kept La Reverie until his death, at which point she was sold to millionaire Max Wyman. At which point Wyman renamed La Reverie Wild Goose II.

She was brought by the actor John Wayne in 1962:

In 1962 John Wayne took ownership of Wild Goose II and renamed her Wild Goose. Under his ownership, the Wild Goose hosted numerous star-studded parties. Examples of some of the party guests who would attend functions on Wild Goose include two former presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. The latter of whom was formerly an actor before he became the President of the United States. John Wayne retained ownership of Wild Goose for 17 years before she was decommissioned.

She featured in a film:

Wild Goose made an appearance in the 1968 film Skidoo, in which she played the part of a boat named Mother which was owned by a gangster who was played by the famous actor, Groucho Marx.

So whether you are interested in WWII, John Wayne, or historical ships, hopefully, you found the article above about the Wild Goose’s incredible life interesting.

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How to Create Memories

As life is a gift and it’s a great idea to try and create as many joyful memories as possible, you may be interested in how to create fun-filled memories that will last a lifetime! If so, simply continue reading to discover a few valuable tips that will help you get started.

Create a bucket list of experiences that you’d like to experience:

One way to break up the monotony of everyday life is to create a fun list of bucket list experiences that you’d like to experience. As each time that you tick off an experience, you’ll be able to start planning or saving to tick off the next experience on your list. Some experiences which you may want to add to a bucket list include getting to drive a race car around a real race track, embarking on a cruise, seeing the Northern Lights, and taking a surfing lesson.

Also think about whether any of your friends would like to share in some of these experiences, as memories that are made with friends and family members last a lifetime. For example, you’ll never forget taking a multi-generational cruise with your parents, grandparents, and children or visiting Las Vegas with a group of your friends.

Print out physical copies of the photos that you take on your phone:

While most people rely on their smartphones to take photos. How often do you take a look at the photos on your photo reel? For this reason, it’s a great idea to get physical prints of your favorite memories, which you’ll be able to display throughout your home or on your work desk. As examples, you may want to display photos of your family vacations and holidays or of fun date nights if you have a partner or spouse.

Put your phone down:

Unfortunately in modern times, so many people are glued to their phones and are constantly checking their social media feeds while they are meant to be spending quality time with their loved ones. For this reason, if you really want to create memories that you’ll cherish for years to come, put your phone away on silent when you’re out with friends and family members and only pull it out if you want to take a photo or two.

Don’t become obsessed with taking photos:

While it’s a nice idea to take a couple of photos when you’re at a concert, festival, or tourist attraction, don’t spend all your time taking photos. Instead take one photo that you love and put your phone away so you’ll actually get to experience the event that you’re at, with your companions.

Just remember that there is no need to try and impress people online and to live for yourself not to impress others.

So if you want to make joy-filled memories that you’ll fondly look back on for the rest of your life, it’s well worth following the handy tips that are listed above. As life is a gift that is meant to be enjoyed.

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The Incredible Life of Herb Bridge Seattle

Herb Bridge lived a full life and managed to achieve a wide variety of impressive accomplishments in his 93 years. Not only did Bridge serve as a highly respected civic leader but he also served in the US Navy and had his own jewelry business. To discover how Herb Bridge became one of the most celebrated individuals in Seattle, simply continue reading.

He served in WWII:

Before he became one of the nation’s most successful jewelers, Bridge served in the US Navy for 41 years. At the start of Bridge’s navy career, he even served during WWII. During which time a 17-year-old Bridge saw action at the Pacific Theater.

He graduated from the UW in 1947:

Not only did Bridge serve in the military as a young man but he also graduated from college in Seattle with a liberal arts degree.

He was born into a family of jewelers:

Bridge’s grandfather was a fine guild watchmaker, so it wasn’t surprising when Bridge decided to enter the jewelry industry, especially as he started working in his grandfather’s store as a small child. At the age of 18 Bridge received a letter from his grandfather giving him 1/4 of his jewelry business. Bridge ended up building a jewelry empire with his brother and their business Ben Bridge Jewelers ended up having a presence in states from Minnesota to Hawaii. In total Ben Bridge Jewelers opened 75 individual stores.

He helped spearhead the revival of downtown Seattle:

One project which Bridge was passionate about was transforming downtown Seattle. For his enthusiasm and drive to the project, Bridge was nicknamed Mr. Downtown. Thanks to individuals like Bridge, Seattle’s downtown is now a bustling hub of shops and boasts the famed Pike Place Market.

He won numerous awards for his philanthropic work:

Bridge was a philanthropist and was actively involved in civic, Jewish, and democratic causes. He was also a member of the Hell’s Rotarians, a rotary club that was comprised of keen motorcyclists, which gave back to the community by raising money for various causes.

He was honored by having a day named after him:

When Herb Bridge turned 90 years old on the 14th of March, 2015 the mayor of Seattle Ed Murray declared the day Herb Bridge Day, in order to celebrate Bridge’s milestone birthday and his service to the city of Seattle. During his milestone birthday Bridge was the recipient of a surprise birthday party at the Museum of History and Industry.

He passed away at the impressive age of 93:

Herb Bridge was fortunate enough to reach 93 years of age and passed away surrounded by his family members.

So if you are interested in the history of Seattle, hopefully, you found the incredible life of Mr. Downtown Herb Bridge inspiring. As he definitely lived a full life full of adventure and had a huge influence on the city of Seattle which he called home and which was the center of his business empire.

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