Brian Dunn@briandunn.bsky.social‬

@briandunn.bsky.social

Semi-retired, but still kicking. MA/History. Lifelong Californian. Lifelong Democrat. Naval and Maritime History aficionado. Servant to two cats. Reasonably articulate, but becoming more acerbic as time goes on.

On this day in 1943, 177 US B-24 bombers take off from their bases in Libya to attack oil refineries in Ploești, Romania. 53 bombers and 530 crewmen are lost in the attack which slows, but does not stop, oil production in the refineries. Only 88 of the planes return to Libya.

A B-24 flying a bombing run over the Astra Română refinery at Ploești during Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1944.

On this day in 1184, the Great Erfurt Latrine Disaster occurred. During a meeting to mediate a land dispute between the Landgrave of Thuringia and the Archbishop of Mainz, the second story floor collapsed, causing about 60 local nobles to die from injuries or drowning in the cesspit underneath.

King Henry VI (later Holy Roman Emperor) presided over the meeting during which the Great Erfurt Latrine Disaster happened. He was spared because he was sitting in a sturdier place of the building.
Image taken from the Codex Manesse (c. 1304).

On this day in 1956, the Italian liner Andrea Doria sinks after a collision with the Swedish liner Stockholm the night before. The passengers and crew from the Doria had been evacuated to the Stockholm, the freighter Cape Ann, the French liner Ile de France and one to the tanker Robert E. Hopkins.

Coast Guard photo of the Andrea Doria sinking, July 26, 1956.Andrea Doria, having capsized takes her final plunge. This photo won the Pulitzer Prize for Harry A. Trask of the "Boston Traveler."

Tried a new recipe tonight complete with frying diced chicken pieces, which I've never done before. Probably had too much oil in the skillet, but everything turned out okay and tasted good. When you have bad knees you look for easy things, so I cooked using one of the tall kitchen chairs. Science!