Podcasts about Twiggs

Last time we spoke about the Liberation of Mindanao. In the spring of 1945, as the battle for Okinawa intensified, American forces relentlessly confronted entrenched Japanese troops. General Buckner's 10th Army faced fierce resistance amidst harsh weather and dwindling supplies. Despite these challenges, they captured the strategic Shuri Castle, marking a critical turning point as Japanese troops retreated. Simultaneously, the liberation of Mindanao was underway. American troops, under General Eichelberger, rapidly advanced, overcoming fortified Japanese defenses in mountainous terrain. With the 24th Division securing key locations like Digos and Davao, the 31st Division pushed northward against General Morozumi's forces. Despite stubborn resistance, American forces displayed tenacity and courage, leading to significant victories. By May 20, the Americans approached Malaybalay, where remnants of the 30th Field Artillery Regiment held their ground. As Japanese troops attempted to regroup, they faced relentless assaults from the advancing American divisions. Throughout the campaign, the Americans endured heavy casualties, but their determination led to more than 10,000 Japanese losses. This episode is the North Borneo Offensive Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  As we continue our story, by June 9, General Buckner's forces had pushed through to the enemy's main defensive line on the Kiyamu Peninsula. It was there that General Ushijima was preparing to make his final stand. Meanwhile, General Shepherd's 6th Marine Division landed on the Oroku Peninsula, determined to dismantle a stubborn pocket held by Admiral Ota's naval units. On June 10, the pace of the assault quickened dramatically. Colonel Shapley's 4th Marines broke through enemy defenses, capturing the strategic Hills 58 and 55(2). At the same time, Colonel Roberts' 22nd Marines secured Hills 28 and 55(1). Although Colonel Whaling's 29th Marines made only limited progress, they effectively identified the last significant pocket of resistance in the high ground west of Oroku village. Looking south, General Del Valle's 1st Marine Division also reignited its offensive. Colonel Snedeker's 7th Marines successfully advanced into Itoman and Tera, while Colonel Mason's 1st Marines, supported by tanks, cleared the southern slopes of the key ridge between Tera and Yuza, capturing Yuza Hill in the process. To the east, General Bradley's 96th Division launched a renewed attack, bolstered by artillery and tank support. Colonel May's 383rd Regiment advanced approximately 700 yards toward the town of Yuza. Meanwhile, Colonel Halloran's 381st Regiment pushed into Yunagusuku and Tomui. However, they faced fierce resistance, quickly encountering heavy machine-gun fire originating from the heights of Yaeju Dake, which halted their advance. Meanwhile, General Arnold's 7th Division continued its relentless push toward Nakaza, employing the full might of their tanks and artillery. Colonel Finn's 32nd Regiment steadily advanced onto the eastern slopes of Hill 95, pressing toward Hanagusuku. At the same time, Colonel Pachler's 17th Regiment fought to solidify its precarious position on the southeast end of Yaeju Dake. Back at sea, a kamikaze attack tragically sank the destroyer William D. Porter. That same day, Admiral McCain's Task Force 38 unleashed a barrage of bombs and artillery on Minami Daito Island before retreating to Leyte-Samar after 89 consecutive days off the coast of Okinawa. This marked the conclusion of their role in Operation Iceberg. The following day, the sustained pressure from Arnold's offensive began to fracture General Suzuki's 44th Independent Mixed Brigade on both flanks.Seas of flame engulfed Hill 95 on 11 June as 1/32 slowly advanced toward the crest of the enemy position behind the jets of armored flame throwers. Flame fuel was pumped and sprayed from hoses over portions of the ridge inaccessible to tanks and then ignited. Infantrymen moved among the still hot and smoking rocks and drove back the surviving defenders. That night the battalion dug in just short of the Hill 95 peak. Although little forward progress was made by 2/32 or the 17th Infantry on 11 June, the enemy position was considerably weakened. Intensive fire from supporting weapons was concentrated against the slopes of Yaeju Dake, and strong patrols cleaned out enemy groups that held positions near the 7th Division front lines. The 32nd Regiment achieved a significant victory by capturing the peak of Hill 95, while the 17th Regiment struggled to make further headway To the west, advances in the 96th Division zone were minimal as Bradley's regiments focused on consolidating their newly-won positions amidst intense enemy fire. Simultaneously, at Yuza Hill, fierce counterattacks were thwarted, and Mason's 2nd Battalion accomplished the critical capture of Hill 69, just west of Ozato, despite heavy machine-gun fire coming from Yuza Dake. Further east, ahead of the 7th Marines, some 800 yards from the southern fringes of the two settlements, lay "the scene of the most frantic, bewildering, and costly close-in battle on the southern tip of Okinawa"Kunishi Ridge. This precipitous coral escarpment constituted the western-most anchor of the last heavily defended line on Okinawa. The ridge contained innumerable caves, emplacements, and tombs on both the forward and reverse slopes. The intervening area between this formidable fortress and the lines of the 7th Marines was a broad valley of grassy fields and rice paddies which offered no protection to advancing infantry. The supporting tanks were restricted to two approaches into the position: a road across the valley which cut through the center of the ridge and another along the coast line. Both of these routes were covered by anti-tank guns. Shortly after noon patrols from the 1st and 2nd Battalions moved out with armored support to probe the Japanese defenses. Intense frontal fire from Kunishi Ridge, enfilade fire from the enemy on Hill 69 opposing the attack of 2/1, and artillery concentrations directed at the tanks forced a withdrawal at 14:47. Because of the complete fire coverage of the open valley enjoyed by the Japanese, both from the heights and slopes of the ridge itself and from the Yuza Dake area, it was apparent that a daylight assault of the position would be a costly affair. Consequently, after Colonel Snedeker had made a personal reconnaissance of the objective from a light liaison plane, it was determined to attack at night. The commanding officers of the assault battalions were oriented on the general plan during the afternoon. The central road and a line of telephone poles was designated as the boundary between battalions upon which the assault units would guide. The scheme of maneuver contemplated a penetration of the ridge where the road passed through it, followed by an expansion of the initial foothold to the right and left flanks to secure the remainder of the objective in the regimental zone of action. Normal artillery would be placed alternately on Kunishi Ridge and Mezado Ridge (500-600 yards southwest of Kunishi) until H-Hour and thereafter on the latter. On June 11, General Shepherd launched a concerted attack. The 22nd Marines successfully secured the Tomigusuki area and Hill 53, while the 29th Marines faced stiff opposition, making only limited gains against the heavily fortified hills west of Oroku. Meanwhile, the 4th Marines worked to strengthen their line, completing the encirclement of Ota's naval forces. Nevertheless, the ramparts of the Oroku fortress were cracking, and Admiral Ota released his last dispatch to General Ushijima: “Enemy tank groups are now attacking our cave headquarters. The Naval Base Force is dying gloriously at this moment… We are grateful for your past kindnesses and pray for the success of the Army.” During the night, artillery units successfully targeted and either killed or dispersed a group of Japanese troops attempting to cross the Kokuba River. Meanwhile, 51 infiltrators were eliminated as they tried to breach the lines held by the 22nd Marines. The following day, the 4th and 29th Marines intensified their efforts to compress the enemy pocket west of Tomigusuki, breaking through to seize Easy Hill while the 22nd Marines consolidated their positions. The capture of this key terrain feature forced the enemy into the alluvial flats along the coast between Oroku and Hill 53. "In the late afternoon enemy troops began displaying flags of surrender. Language officers equipped with loud speaker systems were dispatched to the front line areas to assist in the surrender of those Japs who desired to. The attempt was partially successful, 86 enemy soldiers voluntarily laid down their arms." For several days General Buckner had been sending messages to the Japanese commander by radio broadcast and air drops pointing out the hopelessness of the enemy situation in an attempt to persuade General Ushijima to surrender. During the afternoon of 11 June, Tenth Army representatives were conducted to the 2d Battalion OP overlooking Itoman to await any enemy party that might desire to negotiate. At 1700 all fire was suspended in the 7th Marines' area pending the doubtful appearance of a white flag. About 15 Japanese wearing white headgear appeared in the 1/7 zone in front of Company A at 1740, but dispersed when hailed. Six of the enemy surrendered to Company C at 1802, but the situation returned to normal two minutes later when hostile mortar fire fell on the captors' position. Final orders for the resumption of the attack were issued by Colonel Snedeker about 2000 setting H-Hour at 0330, 12 June. Both 1/7 and 2/7 were to make the assault with one company each, and at 0225 Company C moved out to establish contact with Company F on the line of departure. The attack was launched on schedule at 0330 and at 0500 Companies B and G moved out in support of the assault companies. Concurrently, Company F reached the objective at a point 500 yards north of Mezado village, as Company C came up on its left to extend the line eastward. The enemy was completely surprised and several small groups were wiped out by Company C while they were engaged in preparing breakfast. At the same time, the 1st Battalion extended the line eastward toward Kunishi. However, the Japanese quickly regrouped, pinning down the attackers for the rest of the day, though the Marines managed to reinforce and consolidate their hard-won gains. By midnight the positions there could be considered reasonably secure. But as General del Valle put it, "The situation was one of those tactical oddities of this peculiar warfare. We were on the ridge. The Japs were in it, both on the forward and reverse slopes." Elsewhere, the 1st Marines focused on mopping up Hill 69, dispatching patrols south through Ozato and maintaining their defenses on Yazu Hill. To the east, another pre-dawn attack initiated by the 17th Regiment caught the defenders off guard.  Colonel Pachler had compelling reasons for favoring a night operation. The defenders held a significant advantage in observation, which had posed serious challenges when the 3rd Battalion of the 17th Infantry seized the southeast end of the escarpment. The coral wall of the escarpment was particularly high at this end, and the narrow routes leading to the high ground were easily controlled by Japanese fire. After days of holding positions at the base of the 170-foot cliff, the troops had grown familiar with the terrain and, as their commander, Major Maynard Weaver, noted, they were eager to reach the top and finally see something new. The night attack was primarily planned for the 1st Battalion, but Colonel Pachler decided to coordinate a move to expand the territory held by the 3rd Battalion as well. The final plan involved three assault companies: Company A would occupy a cluster of coral about a hundred yards beyond the edge of the escarpment, near the boundary between the 7th and 96th Divisions. Company B aimed for a similar objective located about 200 yards to the southeast, while Company L was assigned to capture a small hill situated between the 1st Battalion's targets and the positions held by the 3rd Battalion since June 11. Each company was given a separate route: Company A's path led straight up the cliff's face, Company B needed to head south to reach a break in the escarpment before turning right toward its goal, and Company L had an accessible objective near the edge of the escarpment. Movement was set to begin at 0400 on June 12. Since the attack relied on stealth, no artillery preparation was planned. However, two battalions of 105-mm artillery, one battery of 155-mm howitzers, and an 8-inch howitzer battalion were scheduled to deliver heavy harassing fire during the night. Additionally, 21 batteries registered their fire on the afternoon of June 11 and were ready to provide protective artillery support if needed once the objectives were reached. For added firepower, a section of heavy machine guns was assigned to each assault company. Colonel Pachler meticulously planned the attack, ensuring that every soldier involved understood the details of the operation. Reconnaissance patrols had scouted the trails leading to the high ground, and demolition teams had already prepared known cave positions at the cliff's face with satchel charges. Despite thorough preparations, there was a collective apprehension about potential confusion caused by the unknown conditions of darkness. This anxiety was amplified at 2000 on the night of June 11 when the 7th Division G-2 Section intercepted an enemy radio message indicating, "Prepare to support the attack at 2300." Soon after, another intercepted message stated, "If there are any volunteers for the suicide penetration, report them before the contact which is to be made one hour from now." Meanwhile, from dusk until almost 2300, the Japanese unleashed a heavy artillery barrage, leading front-line troops to anticipate a counterattack. That counterattack did come, aimed at the 1st Battalion of the 32nd Infantry, which had reached the summit of Hill 95 earlier that day, as well as against the 96th Division. However, there was no enemy activity observed in the 17th Infantry's sector. As night illumination and harassing fire ceased shortly before 0400, the attack proceeded according to plan. The companies moved out in single file. Remarkably, a heavy fog settled over southern Okinawa, creating the perfect conditions for concealment while allowing the troops to follow their paths without confusion. On the high ground, Company A encountered a few civilians wandering about, while the leading platoon of Company B unexpectedly came across three Japanese soldiers as they reached the shelf of the escarpment. The Americans chose to ignore them and continued silently on their way, with the enemy surprisingly not opening fire. By 0530, just minutes after dawn, Companies A and B were in position without firing a single shot. Company L also successfully reached its objective, and eager to capitalize on the fog and absence of enemy fire, its commander sent a support platoon to a small hill fifty yards beyond. This objective was secured quickly, but not without incident; two enemy soldiers were killed in the process. The platoon leader reported their progress but quickly called for mortar fire as about fifty Japanese troops approached in a column. The Americans opened fire with rifles and BARs, disrupting the formation and resulting in thirty-seven enemy soldiers killed, while the rest managed to escape. The men of the 1st Battalion celebrated the success of the night attack. Shortly after Company A took position, four enemy soldiers stumbled into view and were swiftly eliminated. A few moments later, another four followed suit, meeting the same fate. Company B remained undisturbed until around 0530 when Japanese soldiers attempted to emerge from several caves within the company's area. Although the cave entrances were heavily reinforced with concrete and couldn't be sealed with demolition charges, the Marines guarded the openings and shot at the Japanese as they appeared. Not long after daylight, Company C began clearing the caves at the base of the escarpment, eventually regrouping with the rest of the battalion on the high ground. By 0800, the situation had stabilized, and the 17th Infantry held strong positions on Yaeju Dake. During the night, the Japanese had withdrawn their front-line troops from Yaeju Dake to escape the punishing artillery fire, intending to reoccupy it before the anticipated 0700 attack. Fifteen hours after the 32nd Infantry fought their way to the top of Hill 95, the 17th Infantry had executed a masterful night attack to seize their portion of Yaeju Dake. Throughout the day, the 2nd Battalion of the 17th Infantry relieved Companies I and K, and with Company L attached and supported by medium and flame tanks, continued the offensive. The 1st Battalion maintained its position, firing at enemy soldiers who were slow to realize that their defensive terrain had been lost. Company B alone accounted for sixty-three Japanese soldiers killed throughout the day. Taking advantage of this breakthrough, the 381st Regiment advanced to occupy the slopes of Yaeju Dake, while the 383rd extended the division front and secured Yuza. As the situation unfolded, Japanese troops maintained control over Big Apple Peak, which towered about sixty feet above the surrounding plateau. However, by the evening of June 12, the 7th and 96th Divisions had succeeded in forcing the reconstituted 44th Independent Mixed Brigade from the southeastern end of the enemy's line. General Ushijima acted swiftly, given the limitations imposed by his damaged communication system and the chaos among his front-line units. With his artillery nearly silenced by enemy bombardments and his supplies dwindling faster than his manpower, Ushijima's only hope lay in sending more troops into the relentless shellfire and flames unleashed by American forces sweeping across the frontline. His urgent order read: “The enemy in the 44th IMB sector has finally penetrated our main line of resistance. The plan of the 44th IMB is to annihilate, with its main strength, the enemy penetrating the Yaeju-Dake sector. The Army will undertake to reoccupy and hold its Main Line of Resistance to the death. The 62nd Division will place two selected infantry battalions under the command of the CG, 44th IMB.” Unfortunately, the 64th Brigade, the part of the 62nd Division that had shifted from Shuri to reserve positions near Makabe, didn't receive this order until late on June 13, a full thirty hours after it became critical. This piecemeal commitment of reserve troops proved to be grossly inadequate. By June 13, the 44th Brigade was teetering on the brink of destruction. When reinforcements finally arrived, they found the remnants of the 44th Brigade overwhelmed and absorbed into the reinforcing battalions, with still not enough men to hold the line. In a last-ditch effort, the enemy committed the main strength of the 62nd Division, his final reserve, with a desperate plea for cooperation and orders to "reoccupy and secure the Main Line of Resistance." However, by the time the 62nd Division moved onto the line, they ran headlong into General Hodge's forces, who were advancing southward across the coral-studded plateau. The Americans pressed forward, shielded by the fire of machine guns and tanks, advancing over the bodies of Japanese defenders who had fought fiercely to hold their last stronghold "to the death." On June 13, General Arnold resumed his assault against the rapidly disintegrating 44th Independent Mixed Brigade. The 32nd Regiment successfully secured the Hill 95-Hanagusuku area, while the 17th Regiment expanded its control over the escarpment's summit. To the west, May's 3rd Battalion and Halloran's 2nd Battalion struggled to capture the top of the escarpment despite repeated attempts. However, they significantly diminished the defenders' strength with a relentless volume of covering fire. At the same time, May's 1st Battalion advanced through Yuza and swept southward to successfully secure Ozato. Meanwhile, General Del Valle prepared to commit the 1st Marines to the fight on Kunishi Ridge, as the isolated 7th Marines continued to be pinned down by heavy Japanese fire, relying on tanks for supplies and evacuation. Further north, the 29th Marines launched an attack southeast to eliminate the enemy pocket, while Shapley's 3rd Battalion moved swiftly toward the beach, progressively chasing the demoralized Japanese forces from the thick brush and marshy terrain along the waterfront. As they reached the sea wall, the assault turned into a rout. Some of the enemy threw down their arms and fled at the Marines' approach. Large numbers surrendered; but some fought back with hand grenades in desperate, individual last ditch stands, while many more used grenades to destroy themselves in despair. The sea wall was reached at noon, and the remainder of the day was spent running to earth small groups hiding in the cane fields and rice paddies. In the late afternoon General Shepherd notified General Geiger that all organized resistance on Oroku had ceased. In the early hours of June 14, Mason's 2nd Battalion advanced toward Kunishi Ridge, tenaciously fighting their way to positions east of the 7th Marines, which remained isolated. Simultaneously, Shepherd's reinforced Reconnaissance Company successfully landed on Senaga Island, completing the occupation of the Oroku Peninsula. Looking south once again, May's 1st Battalion completed the cleanup in Ozato but soon had to withdraw from its vulnerable position, while the rest of the 383rd Regiment pressed forward to the edge of the escarpment west of Yaeju Dake. To the east, despite heavy mortar and machine-gun fire, the 381st Regiment maintained constant pressure on the northern face of Yaeju Dake, finally reaching the top of the escarpment by nightfall. Their success allowed them to link up with the 7th Division, which dealt a crushing blow to the 13th Independent Battalion, advancing approximately 300 yards across the front. After a night of disorganized counterattacks and infiltration attempts, the 7th Division launched an assault toward Hills 115 and 153, advancing about 1,200 yards and reaching the outer slopes of the hill positions. To the west, the 381st Regiment and May's 3rd Battalion successfully secured the escarpment between Yuza and Yaeju Dake, although the remainder of the 383rd struggled to move forward due to heavy fire from Yuza Dake. On Kunishi Ridge, the pressure from the Japanese remained relentless, restricting the 7th Marines to only minor local gains. However, Mason's 2nd Battalion managed to inch its way along the ridge, successfully extending the line by about 200 yards to the east. Behind them, Colonel Griebel's 5th Marines began to relieve the weary 1st Marines, with Griebel's 2nd Battalion finally moving forward during the night to support Mason's isolated 2nd Battalion. On June 16, after an intense bombardment of artillery, mortars, and rockets, the 7th Marines finally broke through. Snedeker's 1st Battalion advanced along the northern slope of Kunishi Ridge, while the 2nd Battalion extended the line into the initial high ground of the Mezado hill mass. Concurrently, Griebel's 2nd Battalion advanced, making slow but steady progress until they secured a coral peak on the ridge that commanded their position. To the east, the 62nd Division, attempting to move from its reserve locations southwest of Makabe to support the faltering Japanese lines, faced devastating fire from artillery, ship guns, and aerial bombardments of rockets and napalm. Seizing the opportunity created by the relentless bombardment of enemy rear areas, Bradley launched his battalions through the Yuza Dake perimeter. Colonel Dill's 382nd Regiment pushed through the 383rd and advanced toward Ozato, aiming to gain control of the high ground southwest of Yuza, while May's 3rd Battalion successfully captured Yuza Dake. Additionally, the 381st Regiment gained approximately 600 yards along its front, reaching the saddle between Yuza Dake and Hill 153. Meanwhile, the 17th Regiment pressed onto the forward slopes of Hill 153, and the 32nd Regiment, driving down the coast, took Hill 115, effectively eliminating the 15th Independent Mixed Regiment. Back at sea, despite a significant depletion of Japanese air strength, a kamikaze attack succeeded in sinking the destroyer Twiggs.  But now, it's time to leave Okinawa and turn our attention to Borneo, where we continue covering the Australian offensive. As we last noted, by May 6, Brigadier Whitehead's 26th Australian Brigade had successfully landed on Tarakan, pushing the Japanese garrison into the island's rugged interior. By the evening of 6th May fairly copious information obtained from prisoners and Indonesians and from captured documents indicated that the enemy had about 390 naval troops in the Mount Api area, about 400 troops and civilians in the Fukukaku headquarters area (embracing Hills 105 and 102), 200 from Sesanip along Snags Track to Otway, 300 on Otway and in District VI, 300 in the Amal River area and 60 at Cape Juata. Having lost the airfield and the water-purifying plant and hospitals "the enemy at this time was displaying a decided disinclination to hold ground. In particular he was shunning any ground which could be subjected to heavy bombing, shelling, or attack by tanks; or against which large-scale attacks could be launched by our troops"; and he was directing his operations to delaying the attackers, particularly with mines, booby-traps, suicide raids, and isolated parties fighting to the death in tunnels and dugouts. The 4th Company of Tokoi Force (IJA) plus the 1st Company of the 2nd Naval Guard Force were on Hill 105, Margy and Janet; the 1st Company of Tokoi Force, and other troops were on Hill 102. In the north was a composite group. To secure the recently captured airfield from potential counterattacks, raids, or indirect fire, Brigadier Whitehead decided to deploy the 2/48th Battalion to gain the high ground north of the town, reaching up to Snags Track. The 2/4th Commando Squadron was tasked with advancing along Snags Track toward the Sesanip oilfields, while the 2/3rd Pioneers were assigned to sweep the high ground east of the town and move along John's Track to the mouth of the Ama River. Meanwhile, the Dutch company was to clear the unoccupied Cape Batu peninsula, a task that proved surprisingly straightforward. In the Mount Api area, however, the 2/23rd Battalion faced fierce resistance, particularly at Tiger and along Crazy Ridge, resulting in minimal progress until they were relieved by the 2/24th Battalion on May 9. Further to the right, the 2/48th Battalion seized Otway without opposition, and the commandos successfully cleared Snags Track up to Haigh's by May 8, though tanks could not advance any further. The pioneers, on the other hand, encountered heavy resistance along John's Track, which they couldn't overcome until May 9. That day, a long-distance patrol from the 2/24th Battalion also succeeded in driving the Japanese out of the Juata oilfields after a skirmish. On May 10, while the 2/48th and the commandos patrolled aggressively forward, the pioneers began their assault on the heavily defended Helen feature, which would successfully repel repeated Australian attacks for the next five days. Simultaneously, the 2/24th faced strong resistance in the Mount Api area but tenaciously pushed forward to Hill 105 on May 11, capturing Tiger the following night. They conducted patrols that probed about 1,000 yards southeast, cutting Snags Track at several points. On May 12, the 2/48th set out to cut King's Track and clear the heights from Sykes to Butch. The next morning, they successfully attacked and captured the knoll north of Snags Track. Meanwhile, following a highly effective air bombardment, the key Helen feature was found abandoned on May 15. This allowed the pioneers to clear John's Track and reach the coast at the mouth of the Amal River. Concurrently, the commandos secured the Agnes feature, followed by the 2/24th Battalion's capture of Elbow on May 16. The remaining positions on Hill 105 were then subjected to intensive bombing and bombardment, leading to an Australian assault on May 19. They finally captured the feature the following day. In the meantime, the 2/48th Battalion moved to Agnes to attack the Freda feature on May 14.  It was now evident that if the Freda hill was to be taken the attack must have heavier support. Therefore, on 22nd May, 12 Liberators and 12 Lightnings were sent out with bombs and napalm, but the cloud was so low that some of the heavy bombers did not find the objective. Then the artillery and mortars fired, and a two-company attack went in, the infantry moving very close behind the barrage. Gooden's company thrust from the east, and Captain Nicholas's advanced with one platoon pushing east along Snags Track towards Track Junction Knoll and another pressing north. The former platoon (Lieutenant Harvey), moving through very difficult country along a razor-back so narrow that only two men could be deployed on it, edged forward under heavy fire; after losing one killed and 4 wounded and finding the enemy becoming stronger Harvey manoeuvred out of this position. It was then found that a wounded man was not with them, so Harvey and three volunteers thrust back and engaged the enemy fiercely while the wounded man was carried out. During the day Gooden's company on the right had encountered two strongly-held knolls. Derrick's platoon succeeded in cutting the saddle between them and taking one knoll. Derrick's platoon and another launched “a most courageous attack up the steep slopes of Knoll 2 in the fading light. Here, in some of the heaviest and most bitter close-in fighting of the whole campaign these two platoons finally reached the top and secured the Knoll after inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.... [Lance-Sergeant] Fennells time and again ... crawled ahead of the attacking troops, even to within five yards of the enemy, and gained vital information. On one occasion, when his section was forced to ground he had charged the Jap positions with his Owen gun blazing and had silenced the enemy post, killing the occupants. In a similar manner, Private W. R. How found the advance of the troops checked by a well-sited pill-box, raced forward with his Owen firing until within grenade range, and then, throwing grenades, moved in for the kill until he fell wounded. He had silenced the post and killed the machine-gunner, thus allowing the advance to continue.” At this stage 28 enemy dead had been counted; one Australian had been killed and 15 wounded.  Unfortunately, the Japanese counterattacked the following day, effectively recapturing the position. Following a devastating combination of air and artillery bombardment, the Australians managed to secure Freda and Track Junction Knoll on May 25. During this time, the 2/23rd Battalion remained in close contact with a resolute enemy at Janet and Margy but struggled to make significant progress. The 2/24th Battalion continued probing northward and captured the Droop feature on May 26. After another failed attack on May 29, a heavy air and artillery bombardment supported the 2/23rd as they finally captured Margy on May 31. Concurrently, the 2/24th successfully attacked and held the Poker Hills. On June 1, the 2/48th Battalion then attacked Hill 102, supported by aircraft and machine-gun fire. Lieutenant O'Rourke's platoon attacked, following an artillery barrage as closely as they could, and bringing with them three flame-throwers. They gained the forward slopes without being fired on and then saw five Japanese moving towards them, evidently to re-enter their positions after the bombing. These were fired on while the flame-throwers were brought into action. One operator sprayed the slope from side to side while another fired straight up it. “The result was devastating (said O'Rourke later). The hill was set completely ablaze to a depth of 50 yards, two of the five Japs were set on fire and the other three killed in their posts. The platoon was able to advance almost immediately through the flames, and with the help of the flame-throwers the feature was com-pletely captured within 15 minutes of the advance commencing. The flame which was fired up a slight rise hit the trees on the crest and also sprayed the reverse slope and had the effect of completely demoralising the enemy.“ While the Australians launched an unsuccessful assault on Wally, the 2/23rd Battalion was engaged in clearing out the remaining Japanese forces from Margy and its surrounding areas. On June 6, the Australians finally secured Wally, and the 2/24th Battalion also managed to capture Roger. In the early hours of June 10, the Japanese launched a counterattack toward Hill 105, but it was easily repelled. At the same time, the defenders began preparing for a withdrawal northeast into the island's interior, planning to split into independent groups to wage guerrilla warfare. Despite the looming withdrawal, Whitehead's battalions commenced attacks on Beech 2, Joyce, and Linda on June 11. However, progress was slow over the next three days, with the only notable achievement being the capture of Sandy on June 13. By nightfall that day, the Japanese finally began their withdrawal, leaving behind only rearguards to hold the crucial Essie Track. This allowed the Australians to capture the abandoned features of Linda, Joyce, Clarice, Hilda Paddy, Melon, and Aunty on June 14. The next day, the Australians took Nelly and Faith, but the Japanese rearguard on Essie Ridge managed to temporarily halt their pursuit. Eventually, however, Essie Ridge was overrun, and by June 16, Fukukaku was cleared. The 2/48th Battalion then pursued the Japanese as they fled eastward from Essie. On June 18, they caught a few but found that a large group had scattered into smaller parties. By June 19, patrols were radiating east, north, and west in pursuit, with Japanese forces standing firm at several points. Ultimately, the fall of Hill 90 on June 20 marked the end of organized resistance on Tarakan. Following this victory, Whitehead initiated a mop-up operation that would continue until the war's end. While the 26th Brigade was fighting to secure Tarakan, General Wootten's 9th Australian Division was preparing to launch the invasion of the Brunei Bay area of north Borneo, codenamed Operation Oboe VI. At the Manila conference in April General Morshead had learnt that OBOE I (Tarakan), OBOE VI (north Borneo) and OBOE II (Balikpapan) were to be carried out in that order. 34 LSTs would be allotted for OBOE VI but had to be released by 23 days after the landing. There were other fairly severe restrictions on the vessels available: the one boat battalion of the American Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment and the one amphibian tractor battalion allotted to OBOE VI had to be used for Balikpapan. Morshead and his staff arrived back at Morotai from Manila on April 21 and next day the Corps issued its staff study of the north Borneo operation, and the 9th Division's staff, which from April 4 to 17 had been planning an operation against Balikpapan, began preparing an outline plan for an attack on Brunei Bay instead. This was presented to Corps and approved on April 26; the final plan, which contained no major changes, was approved on May 16. Meanwhile a variety of problems had arisen at the Corps level and above. On May 1, 2200 troops and 1200 vehicles (including guns) of the 9th Division were still in the Cairns or Atherton areas awaiting shipment, and some of the stores and equipment were not scheduled to arrive at Morotai until May 25, two days after the proposed date of the landing. It also appeared that, on the day of the landing, the 24th Brigade would lack some unit stores and vehicles, and the 20th Brigade would possess only one battalion; there would be no field or anti-aircraft guns, a shortage of signal vehicles and equipment, no equipment for building wharves and bulk oil storage, and neither of the casualty clearing stations allotted would be present. Due to a series of issues at the Corps level and above, the invasion plan had been scaled down to a landing by a brigade on Labuan Island and just a battalion on Muara Island, with the operation further postponed to June 10. The strategy involved landing Brigadier Selwyn Porter's 24th Brigade on Victoria Harbor's Brown Beaches to capture the Labuan airfield and eliminate all hostile forces on the island. Simultaneously, Brigadier William Windeyer's 20th Brigade would put ashore the 2/15th Battalion on Muara Island's White Beach and the 2/17th Battalion on Brunei Bluff's Green Beach. These units were tasked with capturing Brooketon and securing the southern and western sides of Muara Island, setting the stage for an advance on Brunei Town. Upon capturing these objectives, the 9th Division was to occupy and defend the Brunei Bay-Beaufort area and take control of the Miri-Lutong-Seria regions. Once again, Admiral Barbey's Naval Attack Force, primarily comprising Admiral Royal's transports and Admiral Berkey's cruisers, was designated to facilitate the amphibious movement of troops to Brunei Bay. In preparation for the invasion, American and Australian air forces, under General Kenney's command, targeted airfields and other military installations, focusing particularly on destroying bridges on the railway to Jesselton to prevent the arrival of reinforcements to Labuan by rail. On June 4, Barbey's convoy finally departed Morotai, embarking on its 1,100-mile voyage to Brunei Bay. Air attacks intensified on June 5, successfully rendering the Papar River bridge unusable. Four days later, on June 9, the air campaign reached its peak: 54 Liberators and 24 Mitchells launched strikes against targets on Labuan, while 23 Liberators targeted the Brooketon area. In the meantime, minesweepers successfully cleared a channel into the bay, destroying 69 mines between June 7 and 9. Berkey's cruisers sailed ahead and shelled the Brown, White, and Green Beaches in the two days leading up to the landings. The convoy finally arrived at the main channel between Labuan Island and Brunei Bluff just before sunrise on June 10, fully prepared to execute the invasion. Opposing them, General Baba's 37th Army had assembled General Nozaki's depleted 56th Independent Mixed Brigade in the Brunei Bay sector. This included two battalions near Brunei, one at Beaufort, and one garrisoning Labuan. Additionally, the 553rd Independent Battalion was stationed in the Miri area; however, none of these units were equipped to make a stand at the beaches. At 08:15, Barbey's warships commenced a bombardment of the southern beaches as the troops were loading onto the landing vessels. Shortly after 09:05, the first waves began to advance, preceded by craft firing rockets and artillery. As anticipated, there was no opposition on the landing areas. The 2/15th Battalion successfully reached the shore at 09:15, followed by the 2/17th Battalion, which made landfall three minutes later, approximately 1,000 yards east of its intended location. By dusk, the 2/15th had scoured the swampy terrain of Muara Island and reported no Japanese presence. The 2/17th pushed forward a few miles along the road to Brunei, while the 2/13th Battalion landed and moved into reserve behind the 2/17th. Meanwhile, the 2/28th Battalion landed without incident at 09:15 and quickly secured Labuan town, with the 2/43rd Battalion following ashore at 09:20 to initiate the advance toward the airfield.  There was no opposition until 10:45, when the leading troops came under rifle fire just south of Flagstaff Hill. This post was quickly bypassed and taken, but the Australians continued to face strong resistance from the 371st Independent Battalion. Despite this, the defenders could not prevent the 2/43rd from capturing the airfield by nightfall. During the day, Porter also landed the 2/11th Commando Squadron on the unoccupied Hamilton Peninsula, with one troop initiating a move north along Charlie Track. On June 11, while the 2/43rd patrolled north and west, overcoming some opposition, the 2/28th slowly advanced toward the Able and Baker routes, where they encountered the bulk of enemy resistance. Meanwhile, after repelling an enemy patrol overnight, the 2/17th continued its advance to Brunei unopposed, with a company from the 2/15th moving up the Brunei River to land about four miles downstream from the town. The following day, the 2/17th reached and seized the airstrip, finally encountering defenses manned by the 366th Independent Battalion. On Labuan, the 2/43rd moved unopposed to Hamilton Road and successfully linked up with the commandos, leaving behind one company and three tanks to destroy a bypassed stronghold to the northwest. At the same time, the 2/28th probed the strongly held area astride MacArthur Road and to its west, making good progress to compress the resilient enemy into a pocket. On June 13, although the 2/43rd occupied an emergency airstrip at Timbalai, the primary objective remained to continue compressing the enemy into "the Pocket" and mop up the remainder of the island. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Australian troops, under Brigadier Whitehead, landed on Tarakan, swiftly overcoming Japanese strongholds. By May 20, they began the North Borneo Offensive, achieving significant territorial gains amid brutal combat. As Japanese forces faltered, some surrendered, signaling a turning tide. The campaign showcased immense courage and sacrifice, with heavy casualties on both sides, ultimately paving the way for Allied victories in the Pacific theater.

Last time we spoke about the Allied invasion of Borneo. The Allies initiated the invasion of Borneo, commanded by General Morshead. The operation, known as Operation Oboe, aimed to reclaim vital oilfields from the demoralized Japanese forces. Despite their fierce resistance, American troops swiftly captured strategic locations on the island. The Japanese, already struggling with low morale and supply shortages, were unable to mount an effective defense. Amid the intense fighting, Air Commodore Cobby's forces conducted air assaults on key targets, weakening Japanese positions. As American troops landed on Tarakan Island on May 1, they faced heavy fire but managed to gain significant territory by nightfall. By early May, despite the loss of ground, Japanese forces continued to resist fiercely. This victory in Borneo marked a turning point in the Pacific campaign, ultimately foreshadowing the decline of Japanese influence in the region and paving the way for further Allied advances. This episode is the Second Okinawa Offensive Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Last we left off, by April 24, General Ushijima's 32nd Army had chosen to abandon the first line of Shuri defenses, with the exception of the extreme right in the Item Pocket area. However, the weary Japanese troops merely withdrew to the next line of prepared positions within the Shuri defense zone, ready to make the American invaders pay for every inch of territory gained. Observing this, General Hodge promptly ordered the 7th, 27th, and 96th Divisions to regroup and enhance their positions through aggressive maneuvers, seizing strategic ground in front of them and pushing back enemy outposts. His forces were also heavily depleted and exhausted, prompting him to plan a final offensive on April 26 before rotating in the relatively fresh 77th Division and the 1st Marine Division for support. Unbeknownst to him, the 62nd Division had suffered significant losses, nearly losing half of its original strength on the left flank. In response, Ushijima decided to move the 24th Division and the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade north to reinforce the Shuri defense zone, establishing a fallback position for retreating forces.This shift also meant that the southern areas were defended only by a hastily assembled Shimajiri Security Force of 5,500 men, drawn from rear-area supply units tasked with delaying any American advances from the south until the main infantry units could return.  The question of a second landing in southern Okinawa was considered by 10th Army most seriously before April 22. General Bruce, commander of the 77th Division, knew that his division would be committed in the Okinawa fighting as soon as lejima was secured. At Leyte the amphibious landing of the 77th Division behind the Japanese line at Ormoc had been spectacularly successful. General Bruce and his staff wished to repeat the move on Okinawa and urged it on the 10th Army command even before the division sailed from Leyte. As the Iejima fighting drew to a close, General Bruce pressed his recommendation to land his division on the southeast coast of Okinawa on the beaches just north of Minatoga. He believed that it would be necessary to effect a juncture with American forces then north of Shuri within ten days if the venture was to be successful. His plan was either to drive inland on Iwa, a road and communications center at the southern end of the island, or to push north against Yonabaru. General Buckner rejected the idea. His assistant chief of staff, G-4, stated that he could supply food but not ammunition for such a project at that time. The Minatoga beaches had been thoroughly considered in the planning for the initial landings and had been rejected because of the impossibility of furnishing adequate logistical support for even one division. The reefs were dangerous, the beaches inadequate, and the area exposed to strong enemy attack. Although beach outlets existed, they were commanded both by the escarpment to the west and by the plateau of the Chinen Peninsula. The 10th Army intelligence officer reported that the Japanese still had their reserves stationed in the south. Both the 24th Division and the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade were still in the area and could move quickly to oppose any landings. Artillery positions on the heights overlooking the beaches were fully manned. The 77th Division would be landing so far south that it would not have the support of the troops engaged to the north or of 24th Corps artillery. The steep terrain near the beaches favored the defense, and any unit there would be isolated. It might be more like Anzio than Leyte, Buckner suggested. Besides that, the three divisions on the line needed to be relieved, and Buckner's three unused divisions would all be needed there. On April 25, the main focus of action shifted to the Item Pocket, where Captain Bernard Ryan's Company F of the 165th Regiment surged forward following a 20-minute artillery bombardment to seize the summit of Ryan Ridge. Captain Ryan looked out over the rugged expanse of Ryan Ridge, where the Japanese forces entrenched at the top presented a formidable challenge. They controlled the crucial territory between Ryan and Fox Ridges, creating a dangerous stronghold that threatened his position. For Ryan, the solution lay in artillery fire. He understood that since the supporting fire would fall perpendicular to his attack route, the risk of overshooting or undershooting would be minimal, just a lateral deviation of fifteen yards. With this confidence, he ordered a twenty-minute artillery barrage on the slopes of the ridge.As dawn broke on the morning of the 25th, Ryan gathered his men from Company F. He stressed the importance of a swift ground assault to capitalize on the artillery support. However, this was no easy task; his company was tired, undermanned, and severely low on food and ammunition. Despite these challenges, the two assault platoons sprang into action the moment the first shells began to fall. They charged forward, propelled by the roar of mortars, machine guns, and antitank guns that kept enemy forces at bay.But as they sprinted towards the ridge, the enemy struck back fiercely. Enemy fire and natural obstacles thinned their ranks, yet thirty-one determined soldiers reached the summit. They found themselves standing on a jagged ridge, strewn with rocks and scarred vegetation, a treacherous landscape that added to their struggle. Just as the artillery fire began to fade, the Japanese emerged from their hidden positions: “spider holes,” pillboxes, and tunnels. The Americans stood ready, and for the next twenty minutes, a brutal fight erupted. They engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat, reminiscent of earlier battles on Item Pocket ridge tops. The outcome was grim; thirty-five Japanese soldiers fell, and many more fled in panic. However, the Americans also paid a price, five were killed, and two wounded. Now, the real challenge began: consolidating their hard-won position. Captain Ryan knew that previous units had ascended these ridges only to be pushed back by the enemy. By late afternoon, only twenty-four effective soldiers remained atop the ridge, with each man averaging a mere six rounds of rifle ammunition. Medical supplies had run dry, and all the aid men had become casualties. Communication was severed, and Ryan could sense the tightening noose as the Japanese regrouped for an assault. Understanding the gravitas of their situation, Ryan devised a bold plan. He arranged for Company I to maneuver around to his right flank, hoping to replicate the success of the morning. At 4:05 PM, just fifteen minutes after artillery support resumed, Ryan and his company made their ascent once more, enduring five additional casualties along the route. Unfortunately, Company I struggled to reach the top, cut off by heavy enemy fire on the slopes. In a moment of desperation, Ryan and two men ventured out into the dark to seek reinforcement, a risky endeavor that could easily end in disaster. Although Company I was still bogged down, Captain Betts from Company K recognized the urgency of the situation and quickly mobilized his men. By midnight, all of Company K had reached the ridge, bolstering Ryan's weary but determined troops. As these events unfolded at Ryan Ridge, other companies from the 165th were locked in a brutal struggle at Gusukuma, located southwest of the ridge. Fierce fighting erupted as soldiers moved from wall to wall, tree to tree, fighting for every inch in the rubble of Gusukuma. Company A faced an unrelenting barrage, enduring fire from eight machine guns and a 47-mm antitank gun, much of which came from the yet-untamed eastern slope of Ryan Ridge. Amidst this chaos, Private First Class Richard King from Company A became a beacon of valor. In a remarkable display of courage, he climbed a tree to eliminate a Japanese soldier perched above and, from his vantage point, went on to kill ten more enemies before night fell. The day had been marked by sacrifice and bravery, with Captain Ryan and his men fighting heroically for every inch of ground gained on Ryan Ridge. As the sun set, they prepared for the challenges that lay ahead, their resolve unwavering amid the turmoil of war. Meanwhile, other companies of the 165th Regiment engaged fiercely in assaults against Gusukuma, gradually gaining ground at a high cost to both sides. At the same time, the 96th Division consolidated its position in front of Maeda and Kochi, while Colonel Pachler's 1st Battalion advanced 600 yards with minimal resistance to occupy the slope of Horseshoe Ridge. The following day, April 26, the general offensive resumed, with the bulk of the 165th Regiment continuing its costly advance into the heart of the Item Pocket, successfully clearing Gusukuma as Company F pushed along the crest of Ryan Ridge toward the northern end of the Machinato airstrip. To the east, the 105th Regiment advanced to the southern edge of Nakama, while the 106th Regiment extended the front line toward Yafusu. In the center, Colonel Halloran's 2nd Battalion launched an assault on the Maeda Escarpment but was quickly repulsed by a brutal barrage of Japanese fire across the front. However, elements of the 383rd Regiment managed to reach the crests of Hills 150 and 152, securing a strategic position to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy below, as tanks and armored flamethrowers moved to the outskirts of Maeda to wreak havoc. At 4 pm in the afternoon General Ushijima issued a terse order: “The enemy with troops following tanks has been advancing into the southern and eastern sectors of Maeda since about 1 pm. The 62d Division will dispatch local units . . . attack the enemy advancing in the Maeda sector and expect to repulse him decisively.” At the same time, adjacent 24th Division units were ordered to cooperate in this effort regardless of division boundary. Two hours later the Japanese commanding general issued another order: "The army will crush the enemy which has broken through near Maeda. The 24th Division will put its main strength northeast of Shuri this evening." Lastly, Pachler's 1st Battalion attempted to advance along the western flank of Kochi Ridge, while the 2nd Battalion moved along the eastern flank. Both battalions were immediately repelled by a barrage of enemy fire. The following day, efforts to establish physical contact between the two units proved costly and futile. Meanwhile, Halloran's 1st Battalion, along with elements of the 383rd Regiment, maneuvered through the saddle between Hills 150 and 152, receiving support from tanks and armored flamethrowers. Although tanks and infantry managed to penetrate to the southern edge of Maeda, the advance was halted by intense enemy fire. Atop the escarpment, an all-out effort was made to reduce a heavily fortified underground pillbox that separated Companies F and G; however, this attempt also failed. Concurrently, as the 105th Regiment organized a defensive line at Nakama, Colonel Stebbins' 2nd Battalion engaged in fierce combat around Yafusu in an effort to straighten their front lines. Meanwhile, the disorganized 165th Regiment continued clearing the Item Pocket, which was finally declared secure, although many Japanese troops remained hidden in deep caves and tunnels. Due to this disorganization and the sluggish progress in securing the pocket, General Griner ultimately decided to relieve Colonel Kelley of his command of the 165th. The regiment would then spend the remaining days of the month patrolling the Kuwan Inlet south of Machinato airfield. Griner's overextended and battered division would not undertake any further offensive actions until being relieved at the end of April. At sea, a Japanese suicide boat successfully dropped a depth charge near the destroyer Hutchins, which had to withdraw due to heavy damage. Additionally, Japanese aircraft reemerged during the night, with a kamikaze crashing into and sinking the ammunition ship Canada Victory, while other planes damaged two destroyers and a transport ship. Random factoid by the way, the SS Canada Victory was among the 531 Victory ships constructed during World War II as part of the Emergency Shipbuilding program. Launched by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation on January 12, 1944, she was completed on February 28, 1944. The ship was designated VC2-S-AP3 by the United States Maritime Commission, with hull number 93 (1009). Following her completion, the Maritime Commission transferred her to the civilian operator Alaska SS Company. This was merely a prelude to Admiral Ugaki's fourth mass Kikisui attack, which launched 115 kamikazes on April 28. While interceptor fighters destroyed most of these aircraft, seven managed to slip past the combat air patrol and crashed into destroyers Daly and Twiggs, the destroyer minesweeper Butler, the evacuation transport Pickney, and the hospital ship Comfort. On the ground, Halloran's Company K attempted to weaken resistance at the escarpment by moving through the 27th Division zone to the west and advancing southeast towards the Apartment House barracks, where they were met with heavy losses and forced to retreat. Meanwhile, on the western side of Kochi Ridge, Pachler's 3rd Battalion relieved the 1st Battalion and launched an attack into the gap between the ridge and Zebra Hill. They successfully led Company K through Kochi and into the cut, while Company L moved southward along the western slope. However, upon reaching the cut, both companies were met with a barrage of machine-gun fire, ultimately compelling them to withdraw. To the east, the 32nd Regiment faced delays in initiating their attack due to setbacks around Kochi, despite the successful raids by armored flamethrowers into the heart of Kuhazu. The following day, more kamikaze assaults inflicted additional damage on destroyers Hazelwood and Haggard. By the end of April, American pilots reported 1,216 air-to-air kills, while Japanese sources acknowledged losses exceeding 1,000 aircraft, including 820 destroyed in the first four Kikisui attacks. This left Admiral Ugaki with approximately 370 operational aircraft for future operations. It is also important to note that the Japanese pilots inflicted significant casualties, resulting in Admiral Spruance's 5th Fleet suffering the loss of 1,853 sailors killed or missing and 2,650 wounded, averaging one and a half ships hit per day. As April expired, a concerned Nimitz personally visited Okinawa, where Buckner reminded Nimitz that as a land battle, 10th Army operations fell under Army command. “Yes,” Nimitz replied, “but ground though it may be, I'm losing a ship and a half a day. So if this line isn't moving within five days, we'll get someone here to move it so we can all get out from under these stupid air attacks.” Nevertheless, by May, 10th Army had thoroughly bogged down into costly, unimaginative frontal assaults against southern Okinawa's heavily fortified Shuri line. Numerous 10th Army generals urged Buckner to “play the amphib card” and land the reserve 2nd Marine Division in southeastern Okinawa, behind Japanese lines. Buckner ultimately refused, claiming insufficient logistics. Nimitz concurred with Buckner, at least publicly, but few others did. Spruance, Turner, and Mitscher were themselves growing increasingly bitter at 10th Army's lack of progress, as well as USAAF lethargy constructing fighter airfields ashore that could finally relieve the battered carriers. Touring the developing Okinawa airstrips, a 5th Fleet staff officer discovered that General “Hap” Arnold had secretly been writing Okinawa's lead USAAF engineer, urging him to divert assigned fighter strip resources into building B-29 bomber airfields instead. An incredulous Spruance went ashore to investigate and discovered the allegation was true. Stunned, Spruance “turned that situation around in about 15 minutes.” On land, following an unsuccessful tank assault toward Onaga, the 32nd Regiment intensified pressure on enemy positions to the southeast to support operations against Kochi Ridge. However, the 17th Regiment's attacks were still stalled. Meanwhile, after fending off two strong counterattacks that resulted in approximately 265 Japanese casualties, the 383rd Regiment advanced to capture the crest of Hill 318 in fierce close combat. This critical victory finally enabled American forces to direct fire onto Shuri itself. On April 29, the 307th Regiment took over the Maeda Escarpment section of the line from the 381st, and the next morning, the 306th Regiment relieved the 383rd on the left flank of the 96th Division. Simultaneously, the 1st Marines relieved the 165th on the west coast, while the 5th Marines took over the line held by the 105th and 106th Regiments on May 1. Despite ongoing efforts, attacks against Kochi Ridge on April 30 once again failed. However, the 1st Battalion of the 32nd Regiment successfully established Company C on “Chimney Crag” and Company A on the “Roulette Wheel,” located on the ridge southwest of Kuhazu. During the night, large numbers of Japanese infiltrated behind these companies, disrupting the planned relief of the 32nd by the 184th Regiment. This relief, intended to be completed before dawn on May 1, was delayed until late in the afternoon. Despite this setback, Colonel Green's Company L managed to reach Gaja Ridge, positioned just in front of Conical Hill during the night. Concurrently, Colonel Hamilton's Company A attempted to mount ladders at the eastern end of the Maeda Escarpment but was quickly repelled by fierce defenders. On the western front, however, Company B successfully captured the edge of the escarpment using cargo nets by nightfall, although they were ultimately forced to withdraw due to heavy counterattacks later that night. Additionally, Hamilton's 3rd Battalion moved behind the escarpment to Nakama village, launching an attack eastward toward the Apartment House barracks area. Meanwhile, on the west coast, the 1st Marines had been attempting to advance south for two days but were repelled each time, suffering significant casualties. However, they did succeed in clearing an enemy pocket at Miyagusuku. On May 2, the 5th Marines finally joined the offensive but encountered stubborn resistance, while the 1st Marines continued to struggle to cross the draw south of Nakanishi village in their effort to reach the Jichaku ridge mass. To the east, Hamilton's Companies A and B positioned troops on the edge of the Maeda Escarpment but made no significant gains due to the enemy's intense machine-gun fire. The 17th Regiment eventually mopped up Onaga village, with the 1st Battalion taking control of the area, although they failed to capture Kochi during their renewed efforts. On May 3, after a dawn artillery preparation, the 1st Battalion on the east and the 3rd Battalion on the west advanced in a coordinated attack, which included a movement by Company C against How Hill on the eastern flank of Kochi Ridge. However, this entire effort was thwarted as heavy enemy artillery and machine-gun fire halted all progress. During 3 May the 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry, fought a desperate grenade battle to win the top of part of the escarpment. The Japanese showered the top with grenades and knee mortars from the reverse slope and with 81-mm. mortar fire from a distance. Men came back across the narrow top of the escarpment to the north side, swearing and crying, saying they would not go back into the fight. "Yet," observed one platoon leader, "in five minutes' time those men would go back there tossing grenades as fast as they could pull the pins."Finally, while the 1st Marines made only limited gains as they pushed toward the Asa River, the 5th Marines successfully cleared the Awacha Pocket and advanced between 300 and 600 yards in their zone. Unbeknownst to the Americans, their slow, incremental advances and the looming threat of a costly, protracted campaign were far from their only concerns. By the 29th General Cho had argued that in the present state of affairs, the Americans had the upper hand. If the status quo continued, the 32nd Army eventually would be wiped out. At this meeting, only Colonel Yahara spoke for continuing the war of attrition and avoiding an offensive. Yahara pointed out that in modern warfare a superiority of 3 to 1 was usually needed for successful attack. "To take the offensive with inferior forces… is reckless and would lead to certain defeat," he said. Second, the high ground around Minami-Uebaru had already fallen into American hands, giving them a major advantage in defensive terrain. Third, Yahara argued, a hasty offensive would fail, with thousands needlessly lost. Then, 32nd Army's reduced forces would be unable to hold Okinawa for a long period and unable to delay the invasion of Japan. A hasty attack would cause 32nd Army to fail in its duty. And yet, the other young staff members were silent. Cho then declared again that he hoped for an attack to snatch life from the midst of death. At this, Yahara left the room. All the other staff members then agreed to launch an offensive. Cho then tried to manage Yahara by sheer emotional force. At dawn on April 30, before Yahara "had time to splash water on his face," Cho appeared at his quarters. Cho squeezed Yahara's hand and said with genuine enthusiasm that there had been nothing but trouble between them in the past and that they would probably both die together on Okinawa. Cho then asked if Yahara, on this one occasion, would go along with the offensive. As Cho spoke, his tears fell abundantly. Yahara was deeply moved, despite his aloof reputation, and before long he was weeping too. He was overcome by Cho's sudden display of emotion and said, "I consent." Again I have to say, in the “battle of Okinawa” by Yahara, basically his memoirs, in which he notably lies a bunch to cover himself, but I digress, this moment amongst others are really interesting, I highly recommend reading the book. Cho's plan outlined that General Amamiya's 24th Division would lead the main effort on May 4, executing a two-pronged attack on the right half of the line. They intended to sweep past the Tanabaru Escarpment toward Minami-Uebaru hill, ultimately reaching the Futema-Atsuta line. Meanwhile, General Suzuki's 44th Independent Mixed Brigade was to shift from its reserve position behind the 62nd Division to a location northeast of Shuri and move northwest toward the coastal town of Oyama, effectively cutting off the 1st Marine Division's retreat. In conjunction with this, General Fujioka's battered 62nd Division would hold its position on the left flank and mount an offensive once the attacking units on its right had breached enemy lines. Additionally, the 23rd and 26th Shipping Engineer Regiments were tasked with conducting counterlandings in the American rear on the east and west coasts, respectively. The Japanese reasoned that success depended on the extent to which they could support their frontline troops with artillery, tanks, supplies, and communications. Their plans specified in detail the role that each of the support units was to play in the projected operations. Artillery units were ordered to regroup in preparation for the attack. Guns and howitzers were pulled out of cave positions and set up farther south in more open emplacements for greater flexibility. They were to open fire thirty minutes before the attack. When the infantry had driven through the American front lines, artillerymen were to move their weapons forward. The 27th Tank Regiment, hitherto uncommitted, was ordered to move from its position near Yonabaru during the night over several routes and support the attack in the Maeda area. To support this comprehensive offensive, Ugaki was alerted to prepare for the fifth mass Kikisui attack directed against the enemy's naval forces. Once the plans were finalized and preparations well underway, Ushijima and Cho celebrated with a pre-victory banquet in their chambers at headquarters. Even as Ushijima's banquet was underway, offensive operations had commenced. Japanese troops infiltrated behind American lines during the night while the shipping engineers prepared for their counterlandings. The 26th and 23d Shipping Engineer Regiments set out up the west and east coasts. On beaches south of Naha and Yonabaru, men of the shipping engineer regiments piled into barges and assault boats. Also, small groups of soldiers with light machine guns infiltrated behind U.S. lines on the night of 3 May to attack Americans as they became visible at dawn. Small units of three or four men, variously designated as "reconnaissance raiding" and "rear harassing" teams, proceeded toward the American lines to attack command posts, heavy weapons, communications, and depots and to send back information by means of smoke signals. The 27th Tank Regiment rumbled up to Ishimmi, several of its tanks being severely damaged by American artillery fire en route. Ugaki's fifth Kikisui attack began on the afternoon of May 3, when at least 19 kamikazes sortied from Formosa, stealthily approaching the American convoys. They successfully sank the destroyer Little and one landing craft, while severely damaging two destroyer-minelayers and another landing craft. Additionally, Japanese aircraft targeted shore installations, focusing their efforts on Yontan airfield. In Nakagusuku Bay, a suicide boat further damaged a cargo ship. At 02:00 on May 4, most of the boats from the 26th Shipping Engineer Regiment were spotted approaching the heavily defended area of Kuwan. Armed with antitank guns, heavy machine guns, light arms, and thousands of satchel charges, several hundred men of the 26th Shipping Engineer Regiment headed under overcast skies for landing places below Yontan and Kadena airfields. They miscalculated their position and turned, into the shore at a point where it was heavily defended. At 0200 riflemen of the 1st Marine Division on the sea wall near Kuwan caught sight of ten barges and opened up with concentrated fire. Naval flares lighted up the area. One company fired 1,100 rounds from 60-mm. mortars. Several enemy barges burst into flames. One platoon of marines used fifty boxes of ammunition and burned out six machine-gun barrels as it sprayed the Japanese trying to cross the reef. Although many of the engineers managed to reach the shore, some fled back to the Japanese lines, while others were trapped in Kuwan, where they were mopped up by the Marines at their leisure. A smaller group of Japanese forces advanced almost as far as Chatan, ultimately landing at Isa, where they were contained without much difficulty and destroyed the following day. The amphibious assault was even less successful on the east coast of Okinawa, as the 25th Shipping Engineer Regiment attempted to land near Ouki. Most of these troops were killed by fire from ships in Buckner Bay or by the 7th Division Reconnaissance Troop on land. As a result, the Japanese suffered losses of 500 to 800 men and nearly all their landing craft during these amphibious assaults. At 05:00, Ugaki initiated his main mass attack, launching 125 kamikazes and 103 escorting fighters from Kyushu to target Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 57, which was currently striking the Miyako and Ishigaki airfields. Taking advantage of the weakened anti-aircraft defenses, the kamikazes managed to score hits on the carriers Formidable and Indomitable, though both vessels ultimately survived. They also targeted American shipping, successfully sinking destroyers Morrison and Luce, along with three landing craft. Additionally, they inflicted further damage on the light cruiser Birmingham, the escort carrier Sangamon, the destroyer Ingraham, and two destroyer-minelayers, resulting in a total of 589 sailors killed.   On land, following a heavy artillery bombardment during the night, the 24th Division commenced its main assault. In the pitch darkness Japanese troops made their way toward the American front lines. At 0500 two red flares ordered them to attack. As the artillery fire became heavy, a guard of Company A, 17th Infantry, on a hill just north of Onaga, dropped back below the crest for cover. He thought that the enemy would not attack through his own artillery, but the enemy did just that. A few Japanese appeared on the crest and set up a light machine gun. Pfc. Tillman H. Black, a BAR man, killed the gunner, and as more of the enemy came over the crest he killed four Japanese who tried to man the machine gun. The enemy advanced over the crest in ragged groups, enabling Black to hold his own. Soon the whole company was in action and drove the enemy off the crest. The Japanese abandoned three light machine guns, four mortars, and much ammunition. At another point a surprise attack nearly succeeded. On high ground 1,000 yards east of Onaga a group of Japanese crept up the hill in front of Company I, 184th, commanded by Capt. James Parker. In the sudden onslaught that followed, two heavy machine gun crews abandoned their positions. One of them left its weapon intact, and the Japanese promptly took it over and swung it around on the company. Parker, watching the attack from the ridge, had anticipated the move. The Japanese managed to fire one burst; then Parker destroyed the usurped weapon with his remaining heavy machine gun. For an hour or two longer the Japanese clung to the forward slopes, firing their rifles amid shrill screams, but they made no further progress. By dawn the general pattern of the Japanese attack on the left (east) of the 14th Corps line was becoming clear. In the 184th's sector the enemy's 89th Regiment, following instructions to "close in on the enemy by taking advantage of cover,"had advanced around the east slopes of Conical Hill, crept across the flats, and assembled in force around the "Y ridges" east of Onaga. They had outflanked three companies of the 184th on Chimney Crag and the Roulette Wheel north of Kuhazu, and had also managed to evade the forward battalions of the 17th around Kochi. Another Japanese element had attacked 7th Division lines on the high ground north of Unaha. At dawn 1st Lt. Richard S. McCracken, commanding Company A, 184th, observed 2,000 Japanese soldiers in the open area east and north of Kuhazu. They were perfect "artillery meat." Unable to get through to his artillery support, McCracken called his battalion commander, Colonel Maybury, and described the lucrative targets. Maybury was equally pleased. McCracken suggested, however, that the Colonel should not be too happy--a group of Japanese at that moment was within 100 yards of Maybury's observation post. There was indeed a party of Japanese busily unlimbering two 75-mm, howitzers just below Maybury. But Company C, 17th Infantry, had spotted this activity, and within a few minutes maneuvered tanks into position and scattered the enemy group. Artillery eliminated the Japanese caught in the open. A mortar duel ensued, sometimes at ranges of 250 yards. The 3d Battalion, 32d, also poured fire on the enemy there. After the impetus of the attack was lost, a Japanese officer stood out on open ground and waved his saber to assemble his men for an attack. American mortarmen waited for a worth-while target to develop, then put mortar fire on it. Four times the officer assembled a group, only to have his men killed or scattered, before he was finally killed. While the 7th Division was repelling the Japanese attack in the eastern sector of the 14th Corps line, the 77th Division was blunting the other enemy "spearhead" in the center. Here the Japanese 32d Regiment, supported by tanks and engineers, attacked behind intense artillery fire. This sector was the critical point of attack, for a break-through here would enable the supporting 44th Independent Mixed Brigade to cut west and isolate the 1st Marine Division. Transportation difficulties beset the 32d Regiment almost from the start. During the night light tanks drove out of Shuri up the Ginowan road (Route 5), but American artillery interdicting the road prevented medium tanks from following. The mediums had to take a long detour, which was in such poor condition that only two of the tanks could enter into the attack. Trucks and artillery also were slowed down. Even foot troops had trouble in moving. One Japanese infantryman recorded that his column was shelled on the way and that everyone except himself and one other was wounded. Another wrote of encountering "terrific bombardment" on the way to Kochi. These difficulties severely handicapped the 32d Regiment in ensuing operations. Supported by nine light tanks, the 3d Battalion led the assault of the 32d Regiment against the 306th Infantry, 77th Division, before dawn on 4 May. The enemy mounted his assault from southeast of Hill 187 and hit the 77th where Route 5 curled around the east end of Urasoe-Mura Escarpment. The Japanese drove into the front lines of the 1st Battalion, 306th, near Maeda. Shortly before daylight, when the Japanese infantry had failed to take its initial objectives east of Hill 187, Colonel Murakami, commanding the 27th Tank Regiment, became impatient and recklessly committed his own infantry company, a standard element of a Japanese tank regiment. American artillery fire destroyed one platoon, disrupting the attack, and daylight found the surviving troops in a precarious position across from the American lines. Colonel Murakami ordered the company to withdraw, but artillery fire prevented a retreat during the day. When the Japanese used smoke for concealment, the Americans simply blanketed the obscured area with shell fire. The survivors straggled back to their front lines after nightfall. All the light tanks that had supported the attack were lost. By 07:30, the 306th Regiment had effectively repelled the enemy. The Japanese, broken up into small groups, attempted to withdraw across terrain subjected to heavy artillery and mortar fire, but few made it through. By 08:00, the 89th Regiment had also been pushed beyond grenade range along the entire front of the 7th Division. Instead of retreating or pressing the assault, however, Kanayama's troops made the critical mistake of milling about in the exposed flatlands, rendering them easy targets for American heavy weaponry. As a result, the 89th Regiment suffered severe losses from concentrated land, naval, and air bombardment, losing half its strength. Colonel Yoshida's 22nd Regiment in the center fared no better; its advance was delayed by the necessity of laying smoke, and it encountered significant hardships when the smoke unexpectedly cleared. In the center of the line the Japanese 22d Regiment was never able to fulfill its role of following up the "successful" advance of flank units, and the regiment spent the day locked in a violent fire fight with men of 3/306, 3/17, and 1/17 holding the Kochi-Onaga area. The Japanese reported the 22d "was not able attain results worth mentioning." Unbeknownst to the Americans, elements of the 1st Battalion of the 22nd Regiment had penetrated more than 1,000 yards behind American lines near Kochi, identifying a significant weak point before pulling back to the regimental line. Nevertheless, due to the overall failure of the 24th Division, the 44th Independent Mixed Brigade was not even committed to the attack. On the fronts at Maeda and the west coast, American forces made some gains. Hamilton's 1st Battalion successfully executed a complex demolition assault on the extensive cave-tunnel-pillbox network located about 200 feet west of the eastern end of the escarpment, effectively repulsing several subsequent counterattacks and inflicting approximately 600 casualties on the Japanese. The 5th Marines also advanced up to 400 yards through hotly contested terrain during the day. Although pinned down in the coastal area, Colonel Chappell's 1st Battalion managed to break through a defile east of Jichaku, while the 3rd Battalion secured a ridge approximately 400 yards ahead of its position. Despite the apparent failure of the Japanese attack, Amamiya refused to abandon the offensive, ordering a renewed effort during the night. Kitago's uncommitted 1st Battalion, along with the attached 26th Independent Battalion, was directed to penetrate the enemy lines northwest of Kochi in a night attack, aiming to replicate the breakthrough achieved by elements of the 1st Battalion of the 22nd Regiment. Following another artillery bombardment, the Japanese launched their assault against the 306th Regiment at 02:00 on May 5. However, this attack was quickly disrupted by American artillery. Three hours later, the Japanese struck again, this time supported by tanks. They pressed through artillery and mortar fire to engage the 306th in close combat. Fierce firefights erupted along the regiment's entire line, resulting in the Japanese suffering 248 dead during the fighting. Amid the chaos, a significant portion of Kitago's 1st Battalion successfully infiltrated behind American lines, breaching the defenses at a point between Route 5 and Kochi. While approximately 90 of the infiltrators were quickly killed while assaulting the command post of the 306th Regiment, around 450 Japanese troops crossed the divisional boundary and managed to reoccupy the town of Tanabaru and the Tanabaru Escarpment, effectively cutting off the supply road for the 17th Regiment. In response, Pachler sent Company E to eliminate the infiltrators, but they underestimated the enemy's strength and were repelled with heavy losses. With Company E stalled on the eastern slope of the escarpment, Company F, supported by tanks, attempted a broad flanking maneuver. They successfully pushed through Tanabaru, spending the day destroying the enemy's hastily established defenses. Company E then took over the assault, and by nightfall, they had reached the top of the Tanabaru Escarpment following a mortar preparation. The relentless battle for the Tanabaru Escarpment continued for the next two days, resulting in the Japanese losing 462 killed behind American lines. Only a few men managed to escape the Tanabaru death trap and return to the Shuri lines. Made even more desperate by the failure of Amamiya's grand attack, the ragtag battalions of the 62nd Division fought to the death to defend the vital western approaches to Shuri, ensuring that every yard gained came at a steep price in Marine lives. Each pillbox, cave, and tomb became a stronghold that unleashed a torrent of fire against the attacking Marines from all directions. Despite this fierce resistance, Del Valle's units made significant progress on May 5. The 5th Marines advanced their lines by an average of 300 yards, while the 1st Marines seized the high ground along the Asa River. At the Maeda Escarpment, the reverse slope was slowly captured as caves were blasted and sealed off. By midnight, it became clear to Ushijima that the counteroffensive had failed, with the Japanese suffering approximately 6,227 dead and losing 59 artillery pieces. In turn, the 7th and 77th Divisions, which had absorbed the brunt of the enemy counterattack, sustained 714 losses. Despite these heavy casualties, the 1st Marine Division, which continued its push to the south, incurred corresponding losses of 649 men. This indicated that the Americans experienced greater losses due to the Japanese defensive tactics of attrition. However, the morale of the 32nd Army had been shattered, as the Japanese abandoned all hope for a successful outcome from the operation. Nevertheless, the 24th Division and 5th Artillery Command were ordered to reorganize and shift to a holding action. This strategy aimed to bleed American strength by forcing the 10th Army to maintain its slow, deadly, yard-by-yard advance into the fire of prepared positions. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In the fierce Second Okinawa Counteroffensive, weary American troops pressed into determined Japanese defenses. Captain Ryan's valor led to hard-won territory despite heavy casualties. As chaos unfolded, Japanese morale waned, marking a turning point. The relentless battle showcased unparalleled sacrifice, foreshadowing the Allies' gradual victory in the Pacific.  

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Kas Matos, owner of The Coffee Shop and Twiggs in downtown Cornelius, NC. Kas shares his journey from growing up in Georgia to becoming a serial entrepreneur, creating unique spaces that serve and energize the community.We explore the evolution of his original concept, Thigs, a cozy cocktail bar that transformed into The Coffee Shop, a beautifully designed, moody-yet-welcoming coffee space serving up craft espresso, hemp-infused beverages, and yes—still offering a few of those beloved cocktails from the Thigs days.Kas also dives into:The vision behind Twigs, a modern, approachable CBD and hemp dispensaryHis out-of-state venture, Public House in GeorgiaHis collaboration with Night Swim Coffee, one of Charlotte's top roastersWhy downtown Cornelius is the perfect location for creative, walkable businessesWeekend brunch food trucks and why they're a hitHonest advice for aspiring entrepreneursWhether you're a local looking for your next favorite coffee spot or someone dreaming of launching a business of your own, this conversation is full of insight, inspiration, and community love.The Coffee Shop21234 Catawba AveCornelius, NC 28031 (980) 689-4234@thecoffeeshopnc---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Best of LKNhttps://thebestoflkn.com/Hosted by:Jeff HammAllen Tate Realtors®Charlotte & Lake Norman (NC)www.LKNreal.comSupport the show

Welcome to Episode 57 – The Civil War starts and Texans Start Killing Each Other In the previous episode I talked about the path to secession. How Texas called a convention to consider the issue and how, even though some resisted the whole idea, it still went through. In fact, President Lincoln did tell then Governor Sam Houston that if he wanted to resist the convention, then Lincoln would be willing to send in Federal troops. However, Houston rejected that idea because he did not want to turn what was already a tense situation into an outright violent conflict among Texas citizens. Remember that during  the convention, the Civil War Committees of Public Safety was formed. Even though secession had not formerly been approved by the rest of the citizens, the committee  started to negotiate with Maj. Gen. David E. Twiggs, who was the commander of United States troops stationed in Texas. Twiggs, originally from Georgia was in poor health and at the end of his career. On the morning of February 16, Benjamin McCulloch, a veteran Texas Ranger and Mexican War hero, led a force of about 500 volunteers into San Antonio. Once there, they surrounded the garrison at their headquarters and demanded Twiggs surrender. Twiggs did not put up any resistance and readily agreed to the  surrender of all federal property in Texas. He also agreed to evacuate all 2,700 Union troops that were stationed in the various frontier forts. This resulted in Camp Charlotte, Camp Colorado, Camp Cooper, Camp Davis, Camp Del Rio, Camp Montel, Camp San Saba, and Camp Verde all becoming forts for Texas Confederates. It's important to remember that even though a significant majority of Texans approved of the efforts of Texas politicians to support and join the Confederacy there were Texans who were loyal to the Union. After all, more than 14,000 Texans voted against secession. Who were those opposed? Members of various political parties including the Whigs, Know-Nothings, Democrats, and others all maintained some degree of support for the Union. Texas had also seen a very steady stream of German immigrants and from those who originated in the northern (or free) states. These were people who were inclined to support the union. In fact, as 1860 came to a close German immigrants who lived in the Fredericksburg and New Braunfels areas formed the Union Loyalty League. To become a member a person had to swear loyalty to the United States, of course, over the next several years members of the league faced violent reprisals from Confederate sympathizers. In 1862 then Governor Lubbock declared martial law for several counties in the Hill Country (which is where this program originates from and where my ancestors settled) and the confederate legislature passed the Confederate Conscription Act that specifically targeted German Unionists. These actions had the effect of increasing desertions and draft dodging as people did their best to get out of the confederate army. While some German immigrants from the Austin County region did join up and helped to form three companies of Waul's Texas Legion, once they were captured at the battle of Vicksburg, they  quickly took the oath of allegiance to the United States. However, certain of the early Texas Union supporters such as James W. Throckmorton (I spoke about him in the previous episode), and Ben H. Epperson, who was once one of the leaders of those in East Texas who opposed secession, did in fact accept and endorse the Confederacy after Fort Sumter.  Others, such as David G. Burnet, E. M. Pease, and Sam Houston, rather than stay in the public eye, withdrew from public life and did their best to avoid controversy. Some of those opposed to secession either left the state or tried to leave. There were some, such as S. M. Swenson, the man who led or started the immigration of Swedes to Texas and William Marsh Rice, who came to Texas from Massachusetts and who made a fortune in the mercantile busi...

In this episode of 321 Go!, hosts John Pelkey and Carissa Galloway debut the long awaited return of the History moment with John. He discusses the life of Dan Sickles, a controversial figure known for both his Civil War exploits and his successful insanity defense after killing his wife's lover. The episode also includes training tips for upcoming races from Chris Twiggs, answered listener questions, and previews of future content. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 01:31 Welcome to the Podcast 01:48 Subscriber-Only Happy Hour Preview 03:27 Virtual Happy Hour Begins 05:42 Hurricane Helene Experience 06:56 Corporate 5K in Cancun 10:13 Wine and Dine Preparation Tips 15:21 Listener Questions and Training Plans 15:36 Discussing Long Runs and Custom Plans 16:36 Upcoming Races and Training Strategies 17:48 Pacers and Themed Runs 20:00 Historical Figure Spotlight: Dan Sickles 22:20 Dan Sickles: The Civil War General 25:14 Dan Sickles: The Scandal and Legal Precedent 29:43 Wrapping Up and Special Announcements   Run Like Magic - Race Nutrition Course https://run-like-magic.newzenler.com/ Discover how proper nutrition and hydration can unlock your running potential and make every race magical. Let Registered Dietitian Carissa Galloway lead you through a science-backed plan to transform the way you think about your diet. Visit www.GallowayCourse.com and use the code PODCAST at checkout for a great discount! Become a 321 Go! Supporter. Help us continue to create! HERE New Apparel!! Wear your support for 321 Go! Join Chris Twiggs in Galloway Customized Training 20% off! Follow us! @321GoPodcast @carissa_gway @pelkman19 Email us 321GoPodcast@gmail.com Order Carissa's New Book - Run Walk Eat Let Sara Akers with RunsOnMagic plan your next runDisney weekend! IG @runsonmagic or you can go to www.RUNSONMAGIC.com or email her runsonmagictravel@gmail.com Use Promo Code 321GO

Send us a textLisa Lander, a mother to four physicians, grandmother, and wife of 42 years, is a certified life coach and owner of Lander's River Trips, an adventure company. She's also known for her brand "Adventures of Lolly." Lisa is a passionate athlete who advocates evidence-based changes to enhance health, happiness, and longevity. She focuses on optimizing nutrition, exercise, mindset, and sleep through discipline and lifelong learning. Exercise, particularly strength training, core stability, and cardiovascular fitness, holds a central role in her well-being philosophy. Lisa, at 63, recognizes the difference between her chronological and biological age and actively makes lifestyle choices to slow her biological clock. She wants to be an inspirational example for women in their 60s embarking on the second half of their lives, showcasing the possibilities of this stage.Amy Twiggs is a former elite gymnast who made the National Team and went on to compete at Stanford University. She is a wife and mother of four, a #1 best-selling author, and former owner of a mindset coaching business for athletes and a gymnastics facility. Amy loves learning, mountain biking, and finding ways to grow, both personally and through helping others. She, too, is a certified life coach; she and Lisa met at The Life Coach School.

Customized Training for Run Disney: Insights from Chief Training Officer Chris Twigs In this episode, we are two months away from the Run Disney Race season and Dopey training has commenced. Chris Twigs, Chief Training Officer of Galloway Productions, discusses his role at Galloway and the importance of customized training plans. He highlights the benefits of these plans, from personalized coaching to community support, and the use of platforms like Final Surge to manage training schedules. Chris offers advice on preparation, emphasizing the significance of long runs, appropriate pacing, and managing setbacks due to life events. He also addresses the reality of participants attempting Disney races without adequate training and the importance of realistic goal-setting for a successful race experience. Chris stresses the value of the training season, referring to race day as the victory lap, and encourages runners to maintain flexibility and seek guidance if required. 00:00 Introduction to Run Disney Race Season 00:14 Role of the Chief Training Officer 00:56 Local Training Programs Overview 01:51 Customized Training Plans 04:28 Community and Support in Customized Training 06:54 Personal Experiences and Testimonials 10:05 Advice for First-Time Marathoners 13:59 Training Requirements for Half and Full Marathons 15:59 The Importance of Customized Training 16:33 Mental Challenges of Long Runs 16:59 Success Stories and Strategies 17:54 Training for Dopey Challenge 23:58 Balancing Training and Life 24:23 Adjusting Training Plans 28:00 The Role of Speed Work and Tempo Runs 32:54 Setting Realistic Goals for Dopey Challenge 34:44 Celebrating the Dopey Challenge

This is a very special episode of OAWB where we remember the amazing life of a true legend and pioneer in the marching arts world. Peggy Twiggs past away recently and we remember her for the amazing fun loving, skilled, innovative legend that she is. Special GuestsSadie Wallace - Barbara Bunny Hopkins - Terri Kelly Kuklinski - Meet our HostsJackie Brown - @spintronixguardStephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarickCindy Barry - @leandermommaNicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcgTrevor Bailey - @t_pain151Trish O'Shea - @trishdish1002Beth Beccone - @bether7189Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabernAshlee Amos - @famousamossss_Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07Stephanie Click - @stephanieclickWhitney Stone - @dancerwhitJustin Surface - @J_dex07Ashley Tran - @itsashleytranJack Goudreau - @goudreau_Bill Woodward - @remoking100Emily Nee - @tch.makes.artRicardo Robinson-Shinall - @ricardorrobinsonAustin Hall - @Austin_hall10Jose Montes - @joeymontes57Bobbey Biddle - @bobbeyboy107Music provided by leydamusic.com Follow him @josh.leydaAvatars provided by @tch.makes.artFeaturingLexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_dudaThank you also to @guardcloset#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline

Ever wondered how marathoners conquer both their physical and mental battles? Join us for an illuminating conversation with Chris Twiggs, an experienced marathoner and chief training officer at Galloway Productions, accompanied by our special guest host, DW, a runDisney Icon. Together, they share invaluable tips on running, wellness, and mental health. Chris provides practical advice for athletes, while DW opens up about their transformative "whole self summer" amidst the unforgiving Texas heat, focusing on customized training, clinical anxiety therapy, and the art of cooking from scratch to improve nutrition.Experience the raw and honest discussions on the complexities of anxiety and the paramount importance of self-care. Through personal stories, we uncover how anxiety often hides behind success and perfectionism, highlighting the necessity of therapy and aligning personal goals with genuine self-fulfillment. Chris also takes us through his awe-inspiring journey of completing the Hard Rock 100, detailing the mental and physical endurance needed for ultramarathons and the unique challenges of trail running. We celebrate the strides towards diversity and inclusion in the Hard Rock ultra running community, discussing initiatives like pregnancy deferral policies and acknowledging indigenous land use. Dive into the benefits of customized training with insights from Chris's collaboration with Jeff Galloway. Plus, we get excited about the themes for the next Princess Half Marathon and share fond memories of friendships and fun moments in the running community. Whether you're a seasoned runner or just starting out, this episode is brimming with inspiration and practical insights to fuel your fitness journey.Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Let Registered Dietitian Carissa Galloway lead you through a science-backed plan to transform the way you think about your diet.Visit www.GallowayCourse.com and use the code PODCAST at checkout for a great discount!Become a 321 Go! Supporter. Help us continue to create! HERENew Apparel!! Wear your support for 321 Go!Join Customized + over a $500 discount! HERE you get- 6 Months of Customized Training 6 Months of Healthier U chats 30-day Summer Nutrition Shake Up Follow us! @321GoPodcast @carissa_gway @pelkman19Email us 321GoPodcast@gmail.comOrder Carissa's New Book - Run Walk EatImprove sleep, boost recovery and perform at your best with PILLAR's range of magnesium recovery supplements. Use code 321GO a...

Ready to master your summer race training and boost your running confidence? Join us in this episode of Rise and Run as we welcome back Coach Chris Twiggs for expert insights on tackling recent races, and fine-tuning your training schedules. Plus, we announce a fresh and new YouTube segment where Alysha responds to your burning questions in a host specific Ask Us Anything! We'll also update you on our exciting Disneyland Halloween and Wine and Dine race plans and remind you about the interest form for the potential Rise and Run Cruise in April 2026.Ever wondered how to safely train in the summer heat? We share essential strategies for running in heat—think sunscreen, hydration, and embracing a slower pace. In our main segment, Coach Twiggs offers a deep dive into the rugged world of the Hard Rock 100, complete with unpredictable weather, trail changes, and the competitive lottery system. We also explore the emotional highs of family pacing and the thrill of tracking runners via live stream.From the celebratory spirit of the Peachtree Road Race to heartwarming Independence Day race recaps across the globe, we celebrate our community's incredible achievements. Marvel at personal records, humorous mishaps, and the sheer joy of running together. Whether you're curious about overcoming a past Did Not Finish (DNF) or just want to hear some uplifting stories, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical advice to fuel your running journey. Join us for another engaging session filled with camaraderie, motivation, and the unbreakable bond of our running community!Chis Twiggs's LinksHard Talk PodcastCustomized TrainingHard Rock 100Rise and Run LinksRise and Run Podcast Facebook PageRise and Run Podcast InstagramRise and Run Podcast Website and ShopRise and Run PatreonPassport to RunRunningwithalysha Alysha's Run Coaching (Mention Rise And Run and get $10 off)Rise and Run Podcast Cruise Interest Form with Magic Bound Travel Send us a Text Message.Support the Show.Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Sponsor LinksMagic Bound Travel Stoked Metabolic CoachingRise and Run Podcast Cruise Interest Form with Magic Bound Travel Affiliate LinksRise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page Kawaiian Pizza ApparelGoGuarded

Dans cette troisième partie de la série Sur les sentiers de la Hardrock, je vous raconte notre route entre Denver et Silverton, puis j'accueille deux invités de marque. Ludovic Pommeret n'a plus besoin d'introduction dans le monde du trail : il roule sa bosse depuis longtemps et a remporté l'UTMB (2016) et la Diagonale des Fous (2021), parmi tant d'autres. Après avec agit comme pacer pour le gagnant de l'édition 2023 de la Hardrock, Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, Ludo est de retour à Silverton pour courir sa première Hardrock. À l'opposé, mon second invité, Chris Twiggs, amorcera sa 17e Hardrock cette année. L'Américain qui parle très bien français est impliqué depuis plus de deux décennies, lui qui est également membre du conseil d'administration et leader des sorties de groupe sur le parcours dans les semaines avant la course. Deux discussions hyper intéressantes avec deux grands coureurs. Bonne écoute!CréditsPhoto : iRunFarDesign graphique : David HébertThème musical : Kelton DavisIdée originale, production, recherche et animation : Yannick Vézina© Pas sorti du bois 2024

LISTEN: On the Thursday, March 14 edition of Georgia Today: The state House has passed a new voucher bill for parents with students in low performing schools; one of Georgia's least healthy counties is getting some help; and the Braves are welcoming back a fan favorite. 

GP Golf Insurance Solutions is a division of George Petersen Insurance that offers insurance for golf courses, country clubs, and resorts. They offer customized coverage, competitive prices, and services tailored to the needs of the golfing community. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by Mindful "U", Greg Twiggs gives us an overview of GP Golf Insurance Solutions, explains the price of buying insurance, shares the different types of policies they are offering, and raps about their claims services. He also talks about his time on TOUR, his trading card, and playing 18 at Pebble Beach. This was an informational conversation and an honor having Greg on this show. Let's tee off.

Find Your Pace: Running Marathon Using Jeff Galloway: Talking With Chris Twiggs

Your identity is your ignitor and your commitment to yourself is your fuel to endure.  If you decide to procrastinate then you're making a conscious choice to delay your contribution to progress and potential we can all capitalize on.  Luckily according to CBS News:  Most Americans are not procrastinators, at least when it comes to how they view themselves. 69% of Americans say they tend to think of themselves more as people who like to get things done right away, rather than put off doing things. But just over a quarter of Americans – 27% - say they tend to put off doing things.   Eric M. Twiggs is a founding partner and president of The What Now Movement. His mission is to build high performing entrepreneurs, authors, and career professionals, who are prepared for life's unexpected curve balls. He is the author of The Discipline of Now: 12 Practical Principles to Overcome Procrastination. The Discipline of Now has been recognized as a Global Top Ten Finalist for the 2020 Author Elite Awards in the category of Best Self Help Book. This recognition was based on the combination of the following criteria: cover design, content, popularity, and social contribution. Eric is also the host of a weekly inspirational podcast titled "The 30 Minute Hour." As a Certified Life & Business Coach, Eric has conducted over 28,000 coaching sessions, helping executive leaders and entrepreneurs who have moved from feeling frustrated, to finding fulfillment. He has also led organizations of 500 or more people in corporate America, and shared his message with corporations, associations, and congregations across the country. By reading The Discipline of Now, you will receive a proven blueprint to beat procrastination, so that you make more money, get more done, and feel more confident.  He joined me this week to tell me more.   For more information: https://www.ericmtwiggs.com Get the Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Discipline-Now-Practical-Principles-Procrastination/dp/0692835008 Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-30-minute-hour/id1453195827

On today's episode, Sarene chats with Ricky Twiggs, Jr., LPC, a licensed psychotherapist based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ricky is an expert in emotional abuse, as he regularly works with teens and young adults who are the children of narcissistic parents. Ricky discusses the significant mental health impact on children of narcissistic parents, and offers guidance and clinical insights into this crucial area of emotional abuse. Connect with Ricky:WebsiteInstagramThreadsFacebookCheck out Sarene's recent podcast guest appearances!"Motherhood Feels: Hindsight Is 20/20""The Borscht Belt Tattler"Support the Show.Get my free download, "10 Things I Learned From Getting Paid to Watch TV"Follow me on InstagramListen to the podcast on YouTubePlease support the show by buying me a coffee!You can also reach me through my professional websiteIf you're interested in sharing your story on the podcast, please fill out this form.You can also drop me a line at hello@sareneleedswrites.com or DM me on Instagram. Be sure to follow me there while you're at it, and don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!If you are a victim of emotional abuse and need help, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988. Or, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. You can also text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.orgMusic credit: "Solo Acoustic Guitar" by Jason Shaw, available through freemusicarchive.org.

An engaging and continued chat all about running, eating, and everything in between with Chris Twiggs. Carissa shares some exciting news about her new book  "Run Walk Eat"!Carissa's book, co-authored with Jeff Galloway, focuses on the Run Walk Run method and emphasizes the importance of nutrition education. During our chat, she enlightens us on topics such as portion control, the right time to eat, and even how to squeeze in a cheat meal without feeling guilty. Later, Chris rejoins the conversation and shares his experiences of pacing for runDisney events, his strategies to overcome common running hurdles, and his past life as a chess champion. As we wrap up, the spotlight remains on Chris as he dives deep into the nuts and bolts of coordinating pace groups for Run Disney events. He discusses the often overlooked physical and mental requirements of being a pacer, and how he handles the stress of the last mile of a marathon. Finally, he gives us a sneak peek into the Wine and Dine expo, and where you can find him, Jeff, and Barb Galloway. So, strap on your running shoes, because this is one episode you won't want to miss.Let Registered Dietitian Carissa Galloway lead you through a science-backed plan to transform the way you think about your diet. Each week she will motivate you to improve your nutrition and reach your weight loss goal.Visit www.GallowayCourse.com and use the code PODCAST at checkout for a great discount!Follow us!@321GoPodcast@carissa_gway@pelkman19Email us questions, comments, or your story to 321GoPodcast@gmail.comOrder Carissa's New Book - Run Walk EatReach out to Katie for help planning your next racecation or family getaway. www.travelkatiemcbride.comAG1 -Get 5 free AG1 Travel Packs and one year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 with any order here BFF buffer ...

Join us as we get to know Chris Twiggs, a passionate runner, and a chess champion. From his stellar performance at the inaugural Disney Marathon to his role as Chief Training Officer for Jeff Galloway's organization, Chris will share his running journey and the life-changing experiences it came with. So, better lace up those running shoes and dig in, because this episode is a feast of inspiration, nostalgia, and zeal!Join Chris in Jeff Galloway's Customized Training with a 20% discount.  Custom training plan for your event or events!Daily and weekly workout remindersProgram-specific community message boardTwo weekly live Q&A sessionsA monthly motivation session from JeffDiscounts on courses and retreatsLet Registered Dietitian Carissa Galloway lead you through a science-backed plan to transform the way you think about your diet. Each week she will motivate you to improve your nutrition and reach your weight loss goal.Visit www.GallowayCourse.com and use the code PODCAST at checkout for a great discount!Follow us!@321GoPodcast@carissa_gway@pelkman19Email us questions, comments, or your story to 321GoPodcast@gmail.comOrder Carissa's New Book - Run Walk EatReach out to Katie for help planning your next racecation or family getaway. www.travelkatiemcbride.comAG1 -Get 5 free AG1 Travel Packs and one year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 with any order here BFF buffer ...

This week on the podcast,  Coach Chris Twiggs stops by to give us some training tips for the start of the runDisney training starting, and we chat with Gary Breuhan, the inventor of the GymBoss interval timer.Our introduction this week is from Ellen from Orlando.  If you'd like to introduce an upcoming episode, please reach out to us on our social media, email, or leave us a message at our hotline (727-266-2344). In this episode, the gang talks aboutMagic Bound Travel for race weekend hotel reservations The recently released 12Ks Of Christmas Virtual seriesTraining  for the upcoming season Alysha's Run Coaching Devon and Kristen's  Fitness and Run TrainingCoach Chris Twiggs stops by to give us some training tips and advice for you to get ready for the upcoming runDisney race season training that will be starting soon. Chris talks about: The Run Walk Method The Magic MileTraining advice for those running their first  5K or 10KHot weather training adviceThe Jeff Galloway app and the new Jeffy Galloway HubThe benefits of the Customized Training Plan (CTP)Chris has given listeners of the Rise and Run Podcast family a special friends and family link for a special rate on Customized training. Click here for the link that will save you more than 50% off the regular price.If you are a run-walk-run  runner you might know about the GymBoss interval timer. It's a great and easy to use tool to help with setting up your intervals.  The Gang sits down and talks to Gary Breuhan, the inventor of the GymBoss, to hear more about the timer and other uses. On the race report we head to Central Park where our friend Emily participated in the 51st running of the NY Mini 10k in Central Park NY on Saturday June 10th. Rise and Run Hotline: (727) 266-2344Rise and Run Podcast Facebook PageRise and Run Podcast InstagramRise and Run Podcast Website and ShopCustomized Training Program Friends and Family DiscountPassport to Run  Runningwithalysha Alysha's Run Coaching Devon and Kristen's  Fitness and Run Training  Gym Boss The Jeff Galloway Hub Website Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Sponsor LinksMagic Bound Travel Affiliate Links Rise and Run Amazon Affiliate Web Page Fluffy FizziesKawaiian Pizza ApparelGYMBOSS GoGuarded

Robert Twiggs and Matt Craft, through Twiggs Space Labs, have run pilot Space and STEM / STEAM training programs for kids through the state of Virginia. Bob Twiggs is known as the "Father of the CubSat" for his co-development of the CubeSat standard. As they expand to serve the rest of the United States, Bob and Matt appear on the Cold Star Project to share their practices and vision. Host Jason Kanigan asks Bob and Matt about their: Personal histories Products & program Benefits for students, teachers, space & defense businesses and the nation from the STEM / STEAM training Experience with Virginia, NASA Expectations with Primes Next Steps for themselves and those wanting to be involved. USEFUL LINKS: Twiggs Space Lab (TSL) website: https://twiggsspacelab.com/ TSL is very interested in working with academic institutions, aerospace and defense companies, technology companies, and federal agencies, including NASA, DoD, and NOAA. The support can take many forms including: Participating in outreach programs and mentoring students Sponsoring STEM programs by purchasing STEM products for schools Sponsoring STEM Challenges (CanSat, PocketQubes, etc.) Consulting with and advising TSL of critical skill development opportunities Promoting TSL programs and products Financial support through grants or buying STEM products for schools. Please feel free to contact TSL at bob.twiggs@twiggsspacelab.com ormatt.craft@twiggsspacelab.com Talk to Cold Star: https://www.coldstartech.com/bookcall

Episode 21 - The One About Peggy Twiggs. Longtime friend of Peggy Twiggs, Anne Fields tells us how and when the Peggy Spin was created! We also have recaps, interviews, news, and more!Meet our HostsJackie Brown - @spintronixguardCindy Barry - @leandermommaThom Shearer - @tshearer74Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151Whitney Stone - @dancerwhitJustin Surface - @J_dex07Beth Beccone - @bether7189Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarickNicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcgChris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1GuestsAnn TurnerFeaturingJoshua Hecht - Drum Major Leadership Academy - @dmlatrainingBill Ives - @marching_pageantry_arts_museumTo learn more about our history: - marchingpageantryartsmuseum.orgJeremy - Drum Corps Today - @drumcorpstoday#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline

A re-release of our series on the Twiggs County John Doe, in hopes of bringing in new tips:  The second episode covering The Twiggs County John Doe offers a deep dive into the science behind the cutting-edge--and most fascinating--techniques used in the identification of Does, and how these forensic advances might help in this middle Georgia case. We speak with isotopic expert Dr. Leslie Fitzpatrick, who is a biological anthropologist and bioarchaeologist and is a faculty member in the department of Applied Forensic Sciences at Mercyhurst University. We also interview Dr. Kelly Harkins Kincaid, CEO of Astrea Labs, about their cutting-edge techniques and the application in identification cases.  Cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses the easy way by going to RocketMoney.com/FALLLINE. Submit a case to The Fall Line: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/case-submissions Written, researched, and hosted by Laurah Norton, with research assistance from Bryan Worters, Kyana Burgess, and Michaela Morrill/Interviews by Brooke Hargrove/Produced, scored, and engineered by Maura Currie/Content advisors are Brandy C. Williams, Liv Fallon, and Vic Kennedy/ Theme music by RJR/Special thanks to Liz Lipka and Sarah Turney  Sources at our website: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/sources Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thefalllinepodcast 2023 All Rights Reserved The Fall Line® Podcast, LLC Want to advertise/sponsor our show? Contact Glassbox Media https://glassboxmedia.com/contact-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A re-release of our series on the Twiggs County John Doe, in hopes of bringing in new tips:  After an army diesel-truck crashes on the way to Macon, GA, spilling diesel fuel across the highway and into a nearby creek, emergency workers discover skeletal remains in a drainage ditch—and set off a nearly two-decade investigation. Biological anthropologist Dr. Amy Michael returns to offer her expertise in forensic anthropology on the case.  Cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses the easy way by going to RocketMoney.com/FALLLINE. Submit a case to The Fall Line: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/case-submissions Written, researched, and hosted by Laurah Norton, with research assistance from Bryan Worters, Kyana Burgess, and Michaela Morrill/Interviews by Brooke Hargrove/Produced, scored, and engineered by Maura Currie/Content advisors are Brandy C. Williams, Liv Fallon, and Vic Kennedy/ Theme music by RJR/Special thanks to Liz Lipka and Sarah Turney  Sources at our website: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/sources Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thefalllinepodcast 2023 All Rights Reserved The Fall Line® Podcast, LLC Want to advertise/sponsor our show? Contact Glassbox Media https://glassboxmedia.com/contact-us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Frank Austin III joined us for Black history month to discuss how Twiggs County School district is showing up for the CultureJames Frank Austin III is the assistant superintendent of finance & operations for the Twiggs County School District. James brings a wealth of experience in the accounting and finance profession due to his involvement in the public and private sectors of accounting and finance.Before joining the Twiggs County Public Schools, Mr. Austin worked with Macon County Schools in Georgia. He served as Chief Financial Officer responsible for overseeing the Business and Finance Department. He managed the district's finances, which includes all budgets that amass to over 15 Million Dollars.Under Mr. Austin's leadership, the school district has improved month-to-month cash flow by over $250,00.00 and improved business operations to perform several functions remotely.Mr. Austin received his Bachelor of Arts in Finance with minor studies in sales and marketing from The Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning.This interview series is “For the Culture” we will be chatting with school administrators – super intendants, educators, athletic directors, counselors, and more….to provide parents some perspective about what their kids are dealing with and up against in today's modern school environment and how schools are “Checking In” on the social-emotional wellness of Black students.Learn:What district-wide strategies the Twiggs County School District has implemented to “Check In” on the social-emotional wellness of your studentsWhat students are dealing with today and how Twiggs County Schools are you helping students navigate thisWhat Twiggs Schools are doing to make the student experience betterWhat Twiggs Schools has achieved since Covid to support students & familiesJames Austin's greatest achievement to date within his professionWhat sets Twiggs Schools apart from other school districtsWhat one word describes the Twiggs School District isWhat have you found that is more challenging for Black students at school different than what their peers (other races) are dealing with?How Twiggs Schools are “Checking In” on the well-being of the administrators, teachers, and staffIn closing…. to inspire “The Culture” remember this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.….“If you can't fly then run if you can't run then walk if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do……you have to keep moving forward.“CONNECT WITH JAMES:www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100027597973244www.jaustin@twiggs.k12.ga.us www.twiggs.k12.ga.usGrab a copy of his book: Suddenly Wealthy!https://www.amazon.com/Suddenly-Wealthy-R-Financial-Legacy-ebook/dp/B097Q6V6J1/This interview series is sponsored by a new movement, called Black People Forward, whose mission is to clear the heads, heal the hearts, and hone in on the hustle of Black youth and young adults through culturally designed programs we call “Dope Experiences.” To donate or learn more visit www.blackpeopleforward.orgSource: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/james-frank-austin-iii-twiggs-county-school-district-checking-in-with-the-culture

Join the conversation over at the Bad Boy Running Podcast Facebook group, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/badbo... Something on your mind? Leave us a message! https://bit.ly/BadBoyFeedback Buy stuff! Buy Bad Boy Running merch here: https://store.badboyrunning.com Get serious! Join the Bad Boy Running Club here: https://club.badboyrunning.com Follow Bad Boy Running on social media: Website: https://www.badboyrunning.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadBoyRunning Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badboyrunni.... Twitter: https://twitter.com/badboyrunning Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BadBoyRunning

On this episode of the Rise and Run Podcast the gang gives some quick updates on how our training is going, and then discuss how Springtime registration went and what members of the podcast signed up for the event.  Our guest this week needs no introduction; it is none other than  Coach Chris Twiggs. Chris is here to talk about completing his 16th Hard Rock 100  mile endurance run. Coach Twiggs discusses how a flat-land Floridian succeeds on  a course with over 66,000 feet of elevation change and an average elevation of 11,000 feet.  In this week's Race Report we talk with Mandy, who was our first guest back on Episode 3 when she discussed the Boston Marathon. This week, Mandy's here to tell us about the  Leading Ladies Marathon, Spearfish, SD on August 21st. Correction: Pre sale of shirts ends Sept. 5th not Oct. 5th. The Rise and Run Podcast is supported by our audience. When you make a purchase through links on our site or social media channels, we may earn an affiliate commission.Join the Conversation: Check this out, Rise and Runners! A new way to interact with your Rise and Run friends. Click the Join the Conversation link to communicate with the gang and all of the Rise and Run family. Show LinksRise and Run Podcast Facebook PageRise and Run Podcast InstagramRise and Run Podcast ShopPassport to RunFluffy FizziesHardrock 100 Customized Training with Coach Chris Twiggs Join the Conversation 

Episode Description:  Karen talks with Anna Burrell, Co-founder of Twiggs & Co. and 2023 Denver Mayoral Candidate, about the triple bottom line, sourcing solutions to community challenges from within the community, and using her campaign as an opportunity to “call in” folx.  They discuss the importance of dismantling internalized oppressive beliefs and conditioning, as well as creating operations within business aligned to a transformed context.  They have a coaching conversation around how to scale by working on your business instead of only in your business.Links:Schedule an Exploratory Call with Karen: https://calendly.com/karenbartlett/30minLearn more about Kite + Dart Group:  www.kiteanddartgroup.comRegister for an upcoming event:  https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-kite-dart-group-16435043586Connect with Anna:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-burrell89/Learn more about Anna's campaign:  https://annafordenver.com/Connect with Carin Huebner at Public Good Media:  publicgood.mediaOriginal music credit goes to DJ Ishe:  https://soundcloud.com/ishe

Creativity In Motion is on hiatus for a few more months. In the interim, we are publishing an encore of our favorite episode from Season One of the show. It features painter and pioneering educator Dr. Leo Twiggs. We think Dr. Twiggs's story illustrates perfectly what it means to be creative. In a practical sense, being creative is how we solve problems and overcome obstacles. As you will hear in our conversation with Dr. Twiggs, he has overcome many obstacles. Along the way he gained tremendous insights about art, including not only how to make art, but why you should make art.We recorded this episode sitting in Dr. Twiggs's home studio in Orangeburg, South Carolina, among many canvasses and finished pieces that were being sent to various galleries in the southeast. We had an incredible visit with him and were fascinated with his stories about how he came to paint the way he does. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Old Town has long been a tourist destination, but that could be changing. Since the Old Town Urban Market opened nine months ago, even locals are flocking to the outdoor food hall. Located at Congress and Twiggs streets, the market is home to eight local Latino-owned businesses. U-T food writer Pam Kragen visited the space recently.

When it comes to rural communities, there is no cookie-cutter approach to developing economic strategies. In this podcast, Darrell Moore talks about how the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact (SGRI) connects Valdosta State University's resources to the needs of communities across the region. During the past four years, the SGRI has utilized the services of VSU's faculty, staff, and students to complete more than 150 projects. Ranging in size and scope of complexity, projects have included community logos and website development, translation of documents for foreign industry recruitment, and assisting with the Georgia 2020 Census count. In partnership with the Governor's Rural Strike Team, the SGRI recently hosted the inaugural Rural Development Institute to assist Georgia's rural communities (populations of less than 50,000) develop strategic plans for economic prosperity.The three-day event, which took place on the campus of Valdosta State University, included more than 40 economic development, city, county, and community leaders from Bacon, Crawford, Dawson, Lanier, Mitchell, Seminole, Twiggs, and Worth counties.Using a team concept, each community was required to have representation from the development authority, city, and county. Additional team members included business leaders and representatives from school systems, chambers, and other community entities.  Before attending the institute, teams completed a readiness index to evaluate their community on various pillars of economic development, including leadership, industry recruitment, infrastructure, education, demographics, and quality of life. Session highlights included content experts and consultants discussing various topics, including workforce, manufacturing, retail as a catalyst for economic growth, downtown redevelopment, rural tourism strategies, and collaboration with elected officials. Planting seeds for ideas and identifying available resources, after each session, community partners worked with mentors to reflect on lessons learned and brainstorm ways to implement similar programs within their community. During the final session, in collaboration with their mentors, community members identified 15 to 30 potential projects, with the SGRI committing to assist with one or two projects per county. Moore said, helping with some immediate wins, "Hopefully, they go to number three, four, and five, and have continuous community improvement."Future projects include strategic planning, housing, website development, marketing and video, industrial site evaluations, retail recruitment, and tourism efforts.For more information, contact the Center for SGRI at 229-333-5800.Join us next time as we continue to promote South Georgia as a great place to live, work, play, and visit.Subscribe to South Georgia Insider (monthly e-newsletter) and follow South Georgia Business on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.  

Chris Twiggs is the Chief Training Officer & National Program Director at Jeff Galloway Productions and this year he completed his 16th Hardrock 100! This year he ran a time of 38:43:49 crewed by his amazing family and friends. He also placed 48th overall breaking into the Top 50. One of the biggest goals for this year was to break the 40-Hour barrier, a feat he hasn't done since 2010... and he crushed it! Chris done races like the Keys 100, Leadville 100, Vermont 100, the Guana 50k, and Ouray 100! Chris' Hardrock 100 Endurance Run Career: 2022: 38:43:49 2021: 45:10:03 2018: 41:29:04 2017: 41:30:47 2016: 41:52:56 2015: 45:31:10 2014: 43:30:20 2013: 40:19:59 2012: 43:19:00 2011: 43:51:00 2010: 35:58:00 2009: 38:36:58 2008: 42:04:18 2007: 42:22:00 2006: 44:54:01 2005: 44:09:01

This week's guest is John Twiggs, host of the award winning Montana PBS program Backroads of Montana. This is John's 35th year in television journalism and he's been with Montana PBS for over 25 years. Last year, John was inducted into the Silver Circle of the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In this conversation we learn about John's journey to visual storytelling (yes, it was him in Metric Marmalade), what makes a great Backroads story and what John's advice is for future broadcast journalists. Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ts1Ddb_1yC6Q_HgaKKwHVFW99VuwQuXO0mJwgC_2RpM/edit

On this week's episode of the Rise and Run Podcast, we finish our wonderful conversation with Chris Twiggs, Director of Training for Jeff Galloway!  This time around, Coach Twiggs tackles your questions ranging from working with a coach, proper cross training exercises, to his favorite running gear and gadgets.Before we finish the interview, the gang takes the time to answer a listener question about the Galloway Magic Mile, and we discuss our unofficial weight-loss support group that was organically created on our Facebook page this week.Rise and Run Podcast Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1743275732534190/Rise and Run Podcast Instagram - Instagram.com/riseandrunpodPassport to Run - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRW_EB4hJGCA2FvRwh8YkXwJeff Galloway Website - http://www.jeffgalloway.com/Customized Training with Coach Chris Twiggs - http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/customized-training/JG13.1 Race Weekend - https://www.jeffgalloway131.com/

We mention the man's name almost every week, so we might as well invite him on!On this week's episode of the Rise and Run Podcast we are joined by the Galloway Training Director, Chris Twiggs.  Coach Twiggs heads up the Galloway Customized Training Program (CTP), which Bob, Greg, Allie, and Jack are all a part of!  Over the course of the next two episodes, Coach Twiggs took the time to answer all the questions you submitted over the past few weeks, ranging from training schedules to pacing, nutrition, gear, and so much more!  These will be episodes you will not want to miss!We also provide an update on the Will Rise and Peloton For Challenge between Tom and Greg, and select our winners for the Disneyland Paris 30th Anniversary ears!Rise and Run Podcast Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1743275732534190/Rise and Run Podcast Instagram - Instagram.com/riseandrunpodPassport to Run - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRW_EB4hJGCA2FvRwh8YkXwJeff Galloway Website - http://www.jeffgalloway.com/Customized Training with Coach Chris Twiggs - http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/customized-training/JG13.1 Race Weekend - https://www.jeffgalloway131.com/

In Episode 8 Season 2, The Twiggs just talk about random stuff, things they like, tell scary stories and make each other laugh! Tune in and find out what movie Khadija is terrified of and whether Mark prefers sailboats or igloos. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Start off the show talking about my guest spot on A Mediocre Time With Tom And DanI got a ticket for distracted driving after Tom Vann texted me. Not blaming him it was my fault Bus driver taking kids to a field trip gets told on by a student I talk about people that do their jobs better on substancesMy interview with Eric TwiggEric M. Twiggs is a founding partner and president of The What Now Movement. His mission is to build high performing entrepreneurs, authors, and career professionals, who are prepared for life's unexpected curve balls. He is author of The Discipline Of Now: 12 Practical Principles To Overcome Procrastination. The Discipline of Now has been recognized as a Global Top Ten Finalist For The 2020 Author Elite Awards in the category of Best Self Help Book. This recognition was based on the combination of the following criteria: cover design, content, popularity, and social contribution. Eric is also the host of a weekly inspirational podcast titled "The 30 Minute Hour." As a Certified Life & Business Coach, Eric has conducted over 28,000 coaching sessions, helping executive leaders and entrepreneurs who have moved from feeling frustrated, to finding fulfillment.  He has also led organizations of 500 or more people in corporate America, and shared his message with corporations, associations, and congregations across the country.  By reading The Discipline of Now, you will receive a proven blueprint to beat procrastination, so that you make more money, get more done, and feel more confident.To schedule Eric to appearing as a guest on your show, email eric@ericmtwiggs.comDiscover Morehttps://castbox.fm/channel/The-30-Minute-Hour-id2021458?country=ushttps://www.thedisciplineofnow.comAll voicemails are welcomed even the ones that say I suck because they'll go right to the front of the line 407-270-3044 and I promise all calls are anonymousDonate to help upgrade equipment for my podcast PayPal.me/tuddleOnTheRadioEMAILtuddle@Gmail.comWEBSITEStuddle.netYOUTUBEYouTube.com/tuddlePODCAST PLATFORMSPodomatictuddle.Podomatic.comTuneIn Radiohttp://tun.in/pjOR7iTunes Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tuddle-podcast/id1501964749iHeartRadiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-tuddle-podcast-59498985?cmp=ios_share&sc=ios_social_share&pr=false&autoplay=trueSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/1ZHRedrnxvAX4CnAFybSJe?si=D1Juw7NuSIqIXVWbMsj99Q315 Livehttps://315live.com/category/tuddle/SOCIAL MEDIATwitter.com/tuddleYouTube.com/tuddleFacebook.com/tuddleInstagram.com/tuddleLinkedIn.com/in/tuddleTikTok.com/@tuddleOnTheRadiohttps://www.reddit.com/r/Tuddle/

Season 2 Episode 4, The Twiggs talk about Dance!!!!! Why we love it, what is changing, what needs to change. How can we practice nurturing, love and openness while making beautiful art and participating in diligent dance/movement practice. Theme Song "Ayy" by ARCKATRON feat Parker Lewiz from the Spacebridge Album --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Support the Show. Get the NEW AudioBook! AudioBook: Audible| Kobo| Authors Direct | Google Play | Apple SummaryHey everyone. I wanted to jump in quickly let you know about the release of the audio version of my book, The Entrepreneur Ethos, narrated by David A. Conatser. If you want to support the show, you can buy it wherever audiobooks are sold. Links are also in the show notes.  Now on to my guest for today, Eric Twiggs, a speaker, coach, and author of the book The Discipline of Now: 12 Practical Principles To Overcome Procrastination.  Eric first realized he needed to find his purpose and stop wasting time after a college friend died in a car accident. After becoming successful in his career, he had another epiphany: he wanted to make a difference in people's lives. So he became a speaker and author, inspiring people to make change in their own lives.  In April, he and three partners started the What Now Movement, a platform on Facebook to empower people to pivot in response to the pandemic.  When it comes to procrastination, Eric offers a three-part framework in his book, The Discipline of Now: what's the cost, what's the cause, and what's the cure?  Eric also shared many insights into what it takes to be a successful speaker, from being prepared and showing up early to get to know people before the talk, to never ending on a Q and A session. Cultivating a positive mindset by reframing thoughts, counting wins, and learning from failures are three principles Eric espouses and lives by.  Now let's get better together. Actions to Try or Advice to TakeTwiggs offered many pieces of advice in our talk; here are just a few tips he gives when preparing a presentation:  Remember the rule of three. People remember best when information comes in three.  Think of yourself as the messenger; “you're just the mailman,” Twiggs says. This will help you be less invested in how the message is received. Focus on the positive. Whether it's appreciating the good things in life, or just looking at what you can learn from mistakes or failures, always look for the positive.  Links to Explore Further Eric Twiggs' website  What Now Movement on Facebook The 30-Minute Hour Podcast The Discipline of Now Eric on Matchmaker.fm Keep In TouchBook or Blog or Twitter or LinkedIn or JSYPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Allyson Twiggs Dyer, owner of the Twiggs Group and the mastermind behind the Reject the Hustle movement, talks about the benefits of saying no and why the hustle culture we have all adopted as necessary to be successful can actually be toxic.