Very Weird “FOR SALE” advertisement

We received a really strange offer to buy the famous ship AVISO GRILLE, which had initially been the private yacht of the King of Norway. She was taken by the Kriegsmarine after the April 1940 action and the fall of Norway and after several postings throughout the KM, she was assigned to “Teddy” Suhren who was FdU Nord (Commander of U-Boat Flotillas in Norway) and this then became his headquarters ship.

After the end of World War II, she was given to the Soviets where she again was used as a floating palace for the Soviet leaders who apparently did not share in the poverty of their people.

Someone sent us an e-mail with some of the history of this ship, mostly pertaining to her refits and state of repair and readiness in this time, and an offer to sell the ship to us! In additional telling us that the ship will sell for a few million, there was also the caution that we had better buy the ship quickly because someone else might buy her before we can get on the plane with suitcases full of cash. Doggone, only a couple million bucks – too bad that is a couple million more than we have. Besides, the lake behind our HQ is only about four feet deep – probably not enough to float her.

Plaque to American Naval Hero

A plaque is to be unveiled and dedicated to one of America’s first and great combat heroes – John Paul Jones. A plaque honoring this great American naval tactician and commander is not unusual, but this one has been placed and dedicated in St. Petersburg – Russia!

How many really knew that, after the American Revolution to gain independence from Great Britain, John Paul Jones was loaned to Russia at the request of Katherine the Great, to help to rebuild and refocus the Russian Navy? He was, but when he arrived, he quickly saw that the lives of the Russian nobility and the military revolved around one party after another. With so many parties, Admiral Jones saw that there was no hope of rebuilding the Russian Navy so he quickly extricated himself from the party life and got on with his job. Under his direction and renovation, the Russian fleet, especially in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, became a dominant force.

The plaque was erected at House #23 on Bolshaya Morskaya Street which is where Admiral John Paul Jones lived during his time in this magnificent city. Sadly, Jones was the victim of Russian court politics and intrigue, and was not accorded the honors to which he was entitled and even when he returned home to America, his star has fallen and he never again had a major command. John Paul Jones, a great American and a great Navy man!