Stella's Place

On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania was sunk on her 202nd trans-Atlantic crossing by a German U-boat 11 miles (18 km) off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland, killing 1,197 passengers, crew and stowaways. It was during clear weather while passengers were eating lunch.  She sank only 18 minutes after being hit by the German torpedo, which accounted for the large loss of life.

In the end, there were only 763 survivors out of the 1,960 souls aboard. 123 of the dead were American citizens.

Torpedoing of the British liner Lusitania by a German submarine U-20. 

Here is Max Miller, in his usual style, describing the food served on Lusitania, and providing the historical details of the events of that day:

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This is a repeat post, in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

One day at a blog most of us know well, we were visited by someone who wrote,

I would encourage those who believe anything negative about Hitler to please have an open mind and do some further study.  We are lied to about almost everything these days.  Carolyn Yeager is a good source for this topic.

Today is a day to remember – and to remind others – the horrors that were carried out by people who, at first glance, looked like you and me.

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On May 6, 1937 at 7:25 p.m., the German airship LZ 129 Hindenburg burst into flames while attempting to moor at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, in New Jersey. Of the 97 persons aboard, 35 were killed. One member of the ground crew also perished. Considering how quickly the craft was destroyed, it seems like a miracle to me that so many passengers and crew survived.

The images, film, and reporting by Herbert Morrison of the huge fireball consuming the Hindenburg, shocked the world. It marked the beginning of the end of the era of the airship and is one of the most famous disasters in aviation history.

After the crash, the U.S. Navy reacted quickly to rescue survivors, treat the wounded, and secure the site, even as the wreckage continued to smolder.

German airship Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg burning upon its approach to Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. U.S. Navy sailors, preparing to grab for tether lines on the ground, run for safety as they watch the airship fall to the ground with its rear half engulfed in flames. (Smithsonian Institution, NASM 73-8701)

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