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“Sergeant Thurman Horton – and there are thousands like him – has an answer for Axis armor in a hard-hitting M-10 ‘panther.’” [Intro to an article by Jack O’Brine]

Sgt. Horton is a 27-year-old commander of a rolling panther in the 630th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 79th Division. Jack O’Brine’s magazine article describes the M-10 panther (“which can destroy a tank at 2,000 yards with a single solid hit”) and the training that Horton underwent to be the crew commander:

“As prospective commander, Horton got the works. He learned to be artilleryman, driver, mechanic, Ranger, map-reader, camouflage expert, radio-telephone operator, reconnaissance expert, and father confessor. And don’t discount the importance of the latter. For to maintain a happy tank-destroyer crew you must listen to and relieve all manner of minor woes. That may explain the ‘Old Man’ tag on Horton . . .”

Other members of Horton’s crew include a driver, a gunner, an assistant gunner, and a radio operator who also assists in the driving. “When they get orders to stalk enemy tanks, they employ the skill and audacity of Indians, darting and slithering from cover to cover. . . the rolling panthers are the beauties with big sockeroo, and commanders like Sgt. Thurman Horton will see that the enemy finds it out.” [quoted excerpts from the article]

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The M-10 tank destroyer was a crucial part of U.S. armored forces during World War II, but its open-topped turret made its crew particularly vulnerable to enemy fire and shrapnel. While exact casualty numbers for M-10 crews are difficult to pinpoint, studies of U.S. tank losses suggest that for every tank destroyed, approximately one crew member was killed or wounded. Given that the M-10 had a five-person crew, this means that casualties were a significant risk, especially in intense combat situations.

The vulnerability of tank destroyer crews was heightened by the fact that their vehicles were designed for mobility and firepower rather than heavy armor protection. Unlike standard tanks, which had enclosed turrets, the M-10 relied on speed and positioning to engage enemy armor effectively. This made crew members more exposed to artillery, small arms fire, and air attacks.

One of the most brutal battles where M-10 tank destroyer crews suffered heavy losses was the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest in late 1944. This battle, fought in dense woodland terrain, was particularly deadly for U.S. forces, including tank destroyer crews. The M-10s were vulnerable to German artillery, mines, and ambushes, and their open-topped turrets left crews exposed to shrapnel and sniper fire.

Another significant engagement was during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, where M-10 tank destroyers played a crucial role in stopping German armored advances. Despite their effectiveness, many crews were lost due to the overwhelming firepower of German tanks like the Panther and Tiger, which had superior armor and firepower.

[Sources: Wikipedia, DupuyInstitute.org, WarfareHistoryNetwork.com, and NationalInterest.org]

“Despite his relative obscurity today, Ruzzie Green (1892-1956) was one of the best-known commercial photographers of his era. Noted for striking color images epitomizing modern glamour and elegance, his work blurred the boundary between editorial fashion photography and commercial illustration, as did that of Nickolas Muray and Ruth Bernhard . . . Green was one of the most accomplished photographers of his generation. . .” – International Center of Photography at icp.org

“This portrait of President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) and his Vice President George H. W. Bush (1924-2018) appeared on a cover of ‘Time Magazine’ in August 1984.” [From the accompanying text]

The “Forcasta” was built on a 1960 Corvair Monza and known for its distinctive Lucite bubble-top and a very low hood, which necessitated a unique radiator placement. Starbird’s work is celebrated for its innovative approach and the car’s space-age styling.

Russ Grady’s chopped ’57 Oldsmobile hardtop boasts a new front end, rear end, interior, considerable reshaping, and a custom paint job. The complete center section of the roof was removed and replaced with a hand-formed sheet of plexiglass.

Known for her beauty and talent, actress Lana Turner (1921-1995) captivated audiences for decades. She was discovered by a talent agent while sipping soda at a Hollywood soda fountain and signed a contract with MGM at the age of 17. One of her most memorable roles came in the 1946 film “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” This film noir classic solidified her status as a talented and versatile actress.

Turner’s screen roles often mirrored her tumultuous private life. She had a series of failed marriages and high-grade relationships, including her turbulent marriage to mobster Johnny Stompanato. Her daughter, Cheryl Crane, made headlines when she stabbed her mother’s abusive mobster boyfriend to death.

[Sources: Britannica.com and facts.net]

Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000) was an Austrian-born American actress and inventor. After a brief early film career in Czechoslovakia, including her nude appearance in the controversial erotic romantic drama “Ecstasy,” she fled her first husband, Friedrich Mandl, and secretly moved to Paris. In 1940, Lamarr, who had learned about weaponry from her first husband, a munitions magnate, worked with composer George Antheil to create an anti-jamming device for the Allies that served as the foundation for today’s secure military communications. [Source: Wikipedia]

Straight man Bud Abbott (1895-1974) and his frantic sidekick Lou Costello (1906-1959) were a highly successful comedy team in the forties and early fifties, making four films in 1941 alone. In “Ride ‘Em Cowboy,” they play two peanut vendors in a traveling rodeo show who get in trouble with their boss and hide out on a railroad train heading west. They get jobs as cowboys on a dude ranch, even though both know nothing about cowboys, horses, or much of anything.

Movie trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YOlbsD4XA8

American actress Gene Tierney (1920-1991) stepped out of the icily serene persona she had established in films such as “Laura” (1944) to play the murderously selfish femme fatale in “Leave Her to Heaven” (1945), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She was friends with Howard Hughes, who proposed to her several times. She turned him down but remained loyal to him.

Acclaimed for her great beauty, Gene Tierney struggled for years with episodes of manic depression. In 1953, she suffered problems with concentration, which affected her film appearances. She dropped out of the film “Mogambo” starring Clark Gable and was replaced by Grace Kelly.

American actress Jeanne Elizabeth Crain (1925 – 2003) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her title role in "Pinky" (1949). She also starred in the films "In the Meantime, Darling" (1944), "State Fair" (1945), "Leave Her to Heaven" (1945), "Centennial Summer" (1946), "Margie" (1946), "Apartment for Peggy" (1948), "A Letter to Three Wives" (1949), "Cheaper by the Dozen" (1950), "People Will Talk" (1951), "Man Without a Star" (1955), "Gentlemen Marry Brunettes" (1955), "The Fastest Gun Alive" (1956), and "The Joker Is Wild" (1957).

Crain appeared in fewer films in the 1960s as she entered semiretirement. She was Nefertiti in the Italian production of "Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile" (1961) with Edmund Purdom and Vincent Price; and in "Madison Avenue" (1962) with Dana Andrews and Eleanor Parker. She again co-starred with Dana Andrews in "Hot Rods To Hell" (1967). Her last films were "The Night God Screamed" (1971) and "Skyjacked" (1972) with Charlton Heston. -- Wikipedia

Gregory Peck (1916-2003) plays opposite Ava Gardner (1922-1990) in “The Great Sinner,” a story of love and gambling addiction by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

American actress Lauren Bacall (1924-2014) had an extensive career in films, television shows, and plays. She was one of the leading ladies during the Golden Age of Hollywood along with actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth. She made her film debut at the age of 19 as the leading lady opposite her future husband Humphrey Bogart in “To Have and Have Not” (1944). She continued in the film noir genre with appearances alongside her new husband in “The Big Sleep” (1946), “Dark Passage” (1947), and “Key Largo” (1948), and she starred in the romantic comedies “How to Marry a Millionaire” (1953) with Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable, and “Designing Woman” (1957) with Gregory Peck. [Source: Wikipedia]

Clark Gable put his acting career on hold and joined the military as a private at age 41 and worked his way up the ranks. He decided to enlist after his wife, Carole Lombard, was killed in a plane crash returning from a war-bond drive. He served with distinction, participating in several bombing raids over Nazi Germany, rising to the rank of major, and receiving the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross. He flew 5 missions as Captain filming 50,000 feet of gunnery combat during 1943.

Clark Gable’s most memorable line: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Spoken by Rhett Butler in “Gone With the Wind” (1939).

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I reprocessed this photo for more clarity. Several years ago it was chosen for a magazine cover (see the first comment space below).

The coolest thing was our son came to visit, saw the photo on the magazine cover, and exclaimed, "Wow! That's an AWESOME photo!" Made me feel really good, and even better when I told him, "Thanks; it's mine."

(Notice on the magazine cover they actually reversed the image.)

Feeling Day and Night of Hong Kong Life! | Editorial Photography
Walking around SoHo in Central, getting close with local store, feeling day and night, enjoying Hong Kong Life!
 
 
special thanks | Hong Kong Life / hotel madera Hong Kong
photo | photomanm
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Never Stop! Start Learning Now!
To start of the new season, life of expatriates and members of their families has just been Hong Kong, lets learn something new & get fun in new life!
 
Magazine Cover of Concierge Hong Kong
photo | photomanm
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Elsa Schmerzeit has competition.

www.jackiealpers.com Roasted Beef Marrow Bones, served with house made orange marmalade, orange gemolata, and gray salt and grilled country bread. Featured on the cover of Tucson Guide Magazine. Photographed at Maynard's Kitchen in Tucson, Arizona

Beautiful Cover Shot of Bubba .

This was published as a cover photo for the New York State Environmental Conservationist Magazine in the late 1970's. This was shot using Kodak slide film then scanned to make a digital image. A friend and I are reflected in the frogs eye. This photo is very special to me!

When this photo was published, I named it "reflections" because of the reflections in the eye.
Having reflected on this further, I realize the frog has but one wish and that is to be "free, free at last". All mankind has a natural desire to be free and I wish for freedom for all of us. I admire Dr. Martin Luther King, whose "I have a dream" speech sends a chill throughout my body every time I hear it!!