#salween river

[carbone14]

Chasseurs Curtiss P-40 Warhawk des Tigres Volants (1st American Volunteer Group) en formation au-dessus de la rivière Salouen (Salween River) à la frontière sino-birmane – Campagne de Birmanie – Guerre du Pacifique – 28 mai 1942

Photographe : R. T. Smith

©San Diego Air & Space Museum

#WWII #guerre du pacifique #pacific war #asie du sud-est #south-east asia #campagne de birmanie #burma campaign #les tigres volants #flying tigers #1st American Volunteer Group #aviation militaire #military aviation #chasseur #avion de chasse #fighter #curtiss P-40 warhawk #p-40 #warhawk #la salouen #salween river #28/05/1942 #05/1942 #1942

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Sunlight Caps the Snowy Meili Mountain Range in a Majestic Photo Series

Soaring more than 22,000 feet above the landscape, the frigid Meili mountain range sits at the edge of Yunnan’s Deqin County in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and borders the phenomenal “Three Parallel Rivers,” a UNESCO world heritage site where the Jinsha, Mekong, and Salween each run alongside each other but never converge. The imposing landmark, while steeped in cultural and historical significance, is majestic and sublime in its own right, features Shenzhen-based photographer Rainlook captures in a new series. Taken around 6 a.m., the images are shot when the first break of sunlight shines on the snow-streaked terrain, casting the mountain peaks in an ethereal glow while leaving the rest in nighttime shadows.

#rainlook #photographer #sunlight #meili mountain range #photo series #snow #landscape #yunnan #degin county #diging tibetan autonomous prefecture #three parallel rivres #unesco world heritage site #jinsha river #mekong river #salween river #river #nature

[ghostwarriorrrr]

Chasseurs Curtiss P-40 Warhawk des Tigres Volants (1st American Volunteer Group) en formation au-dessus de la rivière Salouen (Salween River) à la frontière sino-birmane – Campagne de Birmanie – Guerre du Pacifique – 28 mai 1942 Photographe : R. T. Smith ©San Diego Air & Space Museum

#military #aircraft #air force #WW II #second world war #world war ii #aviation history #aviation #military aviation #pacific war #guerre du pacifique

[sgiandubh]

Pecunia non olet

When the Roman emperor Vespasian reinstated Nero's very unpopular tax on the distribution of urinals' waste, sometime around 70 AD, his son and heir, Titus, complained about it, thinking it was vile and disingenuous. Vespasian shoved a golden coin under his nose and asked the young fool if he still felt offended about it. Pecunia non olet - money doesn't smell, son. This very gold comes from, well, urine. Live with it.

I once comforted a whole orphanage, in Moulmein, Burma, for three weeks, with about 500 well-spent US dollars, at the local bazaar and shops. From rice to fruits to the strange, exuberant vegetables of the Tropics, meat and eggs and chocolate, and for good measure, aspirin, band-aid, antiseptic wipes, notebooks, pencils, socks, shoes, Tshirts, skirts and trousers. Filled three rickshaws with all the boxes and bags and went for it. The St Joseph orphanage was run by five formidable Anglo-Indian nuns, who took care of about 40 children, aged 5 to 16, whose parents died in the horrendous floods that followed the Nargis cyclone, in 2008. They had nothing. When they asked me who I was, I honestly told them it did not matter. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis.

Make no mistake. I am not a saint. I smoke like a chimney and swear like a drunken sailor and sometimes have to professionally, elegantly lie, because such is the nature of my job. I am cynical and short-tempered and yes, less impatient now than at 20. That day in Moulmein will always shine bright in my mind and in my heart for its absurd joy. And also for the feeling the real generosity was not mine, that day, but theirs.

Last week-end, about 200 women I would probably find perfectly insufferable paid from 2000 to 5000 US dollars each, to meet and greet and fawn and take #silly pictures with three guys who happen to be part of the cast of a certain TV series. With only one of them, in reality, but let's not trouble the waters. Apparently, they had a good time. I am not sure about the guy: he's not exactly the Svengali type. I very much doubt that this event will go down in history. It was as good as it gets, with the people it could attract. Entitled? Maybe. Sad? A bit, if you ask me. But above and beyond all of this, it was transactional. I pay, you drop by. I pay, you take a pic and smile. I pay, I ask a stupid question. I pay, we have a dram. For our mutual benefit.

I have no idea if these people maxed out their credit cards to be there. In theory, this is all about disposable income, cash that can and will be well... disposed of, somehow, whether it's a horrendous pair of mauve shoes or the last gadget or hey, a meet and greet. If I were Marie Kondo, I'd even dare say that parting with cash brought them joy.

Can we compare the two moments? Of course not. But both of them are the result of a (hopefully fully aware) choice.

It's been a long while I also chose to never set foot in such places, for such things. Not my circus, not my monkeys.

Stating the opposite is pure hypocrisy and pearl-clutching.

Sunset on the Salween River. Moulmein. Burma. August 2010. Taken by me.

#sag aftra strike

[captain-price-unofficially]

Chinese soldiers fight along the Salween River in Burma.

#burma campaign #china-india-burma theater #wwii #second sino-japanese war

[reneg661]

Is the main protagonist of the Rambo film series and David Morell's novel First Blood. A former Vietnam veteran and highly skilled Green Beret, Rambo returned from the war as a decorated, but disturbed hero. He is filled with self-loathing and hates killing, but is willing to use his skills to protect those close to him. This is the general plot line of the four First Blood sequels. The main character of the series, Rambo appears in all the films. The only character to come close to this is Sam Trautman, his mentor and commander in Vietnam. Although Rambo appears to be a butch action stereotype, the character of John Rambo is actually a broken and emotional man. He has witnessed all of his friends die, was not loved as a child, faced unbearable terrors in Vietnam, returned to a country that rejected him, then was seduced back into combat where he killed hundreds more people before finally being left alone and miserable, unable to forgive himself for what he has done. At one point, Rambo stated that he had wasted his life fighting for things he thought he believed in. By the end of the series, Rambo hates himself and has lost his faith in humanity, God and the concept that things will get better for the world, due in no small part because of the horrors of war he experienced. Rambo did get better at the end of the series when he returned home, but he is no doubt plagued by nightmares from his post-traumatic stress disorder. The character has more emotional depth than most people would think based on what popular culture has depicted Rambo as, and Sylvester Stallone's performance has been widely acclaimed. The character was nominated for American Film Institute's list 100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains. Rambo's covert missions behind enemy lines were also quite accurate to real Vietnamese War tactics. The way the character fights, is in some details (such as weapons and modus operandi) based on soldiers that fought anti-guerrilla warfare during the Vietnam war.Throughout the film series, especially in the first and fourth films, John Rambo is displayed as a tragic hero, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has difficulty adjusting to civilian life, which is especially complicated because of prejudice against returning soldiers. He is shown to be prone to violence because of the torture he suffered at the hands of North Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War. Rambo has difficulty talking about his problems and he is too scarred from trauma to open up to most people. The only person he really trusts in the world is Trautman, and he still has only told him about one of the brutal deaths he witnessed. This makes Rambo look like a quiet thug or super soldier to people who don't understand the character, but in reality he is so overwhelmed with self-hatred and nightmarish memories that he can't talk to anybody. As a result, conversations with Rambo are fairly one sided, as he chooses not to engage with most people and only speaks directly to a few people. As he grows older, as he becomes bitter and angry at the world, even leading to him casually swearing and making snide comments under his breath at people, and downright insulting people. This is especially elaborated upon in 2008's Rambo, where he refuses to be even remotely social with anybody, even Sarah Miller, who is displayed as a kind soul who wants to learn about Rambo's life and why he is the way he is. He often replies with one-word answers in this film and is terse with people so they will leave him alone. There is a scene, where Michael Burnett tries to get Rambo to take them down the Salween River. Rambo declines and Sarah asks, why he rebuffed the man he was talking to. Rambo replies that he wasn't talking to anybody and Sarah changes her statement to "the man who was talking to you". It is evident that Rambo did care deeply for all the men in his unit, forming a brotherly bond with them. This is shown at the start of First Blood, when Rambo arrives as the home of Delmar Barry, he walks with a bit of a spring to his step, he is very polite and talkative to Barry's mother, making small talk and even cracking a joke. It's one of the few times he's seen to smile, being visibly excited at the prospect of seeing his old friend again. However, upon learning of Barry's death, Rambo is disheartened, offering the photo of his unit that he carries around to Barry's mother before giving his condolences and leaving, his walk having slowed to a trudge as he departs. During his breakdown to Trautman, he talked about how they had planned to go on a road trip to Las Vegas in Danforth's Chevy Convertible. In Rambo III, Rambo is seen wisecracking one-liners similar to other action heros such as John Matrix from Commando. He cracks several of these, poking fun of the state he and Trautman are in and the predicaments he has gotten himself into. Most fans of the Rambo series aknowledge that Rambo III was more so made to exploit Rambo's character rather than further develop him. This would explain the cheesy one-liners that were typical of other heroes of the time, but not Rambo. It could be argued, though, that Rambo's demeanor was considerably softer since Rambo III dealt with Rambo's only friend who he has known since Baker Team. Since Trautman could talk with Rambo about anything, Rambo would be a much happier man around him. However, even in Rambo III, Stallone carefully maintains the tortured persona that Rambo has to deal with, rarely cracking a smile and revealing the sad eyes he must have. It has been argued that Rambo became more antisocial and angry at the world after Trautman died in between the events of Rambo III and Rambo. In the next films and novelizations, he is displayed as a man who wants to stay away from conflict but is willing to do literally anything to save his friends and the people he cares about from any danger. Due to his violent nature, many civil people tend to fear him. However, Colonel Samuel Trautman, who was his commanding officer in Vietnam and most likely his only friend, understands him and the pain and torture he had endured in the war and is the only one able to understand the problems he has. Rambo is a survival expert in almost any terrain, especially in jungles and dense forests. Rambo is also an expert in guerrilla warfare, and he is easily able to camouflage himself, create improvised weaponry, and nurse his own wounds. He is also an expert in operating various types of war machines like helicopters and tanks, firing artillery and machine guns and hand-to-hand combat. In the movies, Rambo is portrayed by Sylvester Stallone.

John Rambo (c) Rambo Art (c) reneg661

#john rambo

[ughfuckingbiotypical]

I suppose I should talk about my biotope projects? This blog doesn’t have any followers yet but yk… they’re all currently only in the research stage but we’re making progress.

Lower Salween or Irrawaddy river, Myanmar: leaning towards the Salween but these are two very similar rivers in Myanmar with a lot of overlap. The goal is to build this one once I have space for a 6ft tank to put my clouded archers in. Pictures of the animals in situe are proving hard to find so still figuring out the scape.

Corn Snake, southeast USA: I have two boys and I’m hoping nice bioactive would make their (already easy) care even easier. And I like to try to spoil my animals. I'll probably make a field biotope and a forest clearing biotope. One is a creamsicle and therefore has some great plains ratsnake in his lineage as well, so I'm specifically focusing on an area in Louisianan where the natural range of both species overlaps. I'm the closest to being ready to set these up.

New Caledonia: I love the reptiles from here that are in the hobby, but this one’s more of a grail for me at the moment. I’ve only found one commercially available native species of plant. And it’s technically a shrub. Apparently New Caledonia was isolated from the mainland a very long time ago, so the species there a unique and many are endemic. Many of the plants there are from phylogenies that have gone extinct everywhere else. This may make finding similar plants to substitute a challenge as well. More research needed.

Cameroon Rain Forest Floor: This one is for a species very high on my bucket list, the Calabar Boa. Which is a very shy fossorial species. This habitat is also home to some very interesting plants that I'm very much interested in trying to keep.

#projects

[hadeschan]

item # K22A51

RARE Pra Naresuan, Nua Din Pasom Pong, Wat Kang Kao (Wat Thammikawat), Luang Phor Guay Pluk Sek. A compressed earth amulet with a bas-relief of the Legendary King Naresuan the Great of Kingdom of Ayutthaya pouring water on the ground, symbolizing declaration of independence from the Burmese Taungoo. In the Back is with imprints of a Yant Na Maha Niyom (a cabalistic writing that brings loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), and a swimming bagridae (a family of catfish). The bagridae represents the Wat Kang Kao or Wat Thammikawat which is on the river bank, and it is a sanctuary of bagridae (Pla Kang in Thai). Made from many types of sacred earth, blended with holy powder and holy water. Made by Wat Kang Kao, Chai Nat Province around BE 2500 to BE 2511 (CE 1957 to CE 1968) and Luang Phor Guay of Wat Khositaram was Master of the blessing / consecration ceremony at the temple of Wat Kang Kao.

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BEST FOR: Pra Naresuan brings safety & security, it prevents accidental fatalities, injury, and death during combat or military operations, and Pra Naresuan helps achieve a position of advantage. Pra Naresuan warns danger coming ahead, Klawklad Plodpai (it helps push you away from all danger), Kongkraphan (it makes you invulnerable to all weapon attack), Nang Nieow, a rock-hard skin that is completely impervious to damage with bludgeoning or piercing weapons. Maha-ut (it stops gun from shooting at you). Metta Maha Niyom (helping bring loving, caring, and kindness, and compassion from people all around you to you), Ponggan Poot-pee pee-saat Kunsai Mondam Sa-niat jan-rai Sat Meepit (it helps ward off evil spirit, demon, bad ghost, bad omen, bad spell, curse, accursedness, black magic, misfortune, doom, and poisonous animals). And this amulet helps protect you from manipulators, backstabbers, and toxic people. And the force of the bad intentions / activities / behaviors from your enemies hitting you, the Khata Sà-tón Klap Spell puts an equal force back onto them, meaning those bad intentions / activities / behaviors bounce back up to your enemies.

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The amulet made from soil or earth

The soil or earth is the oldest minerals on Earth, it accumulates all power of good deeds of all Arhats (or Luohan), Bodhisattva and Buddha as long as you and your enemies are standing/living on the earth, the Pra Mae Thoranee (the Earth Goddess) will witness good deeds and bad deeds, if you have made good deeds, then your good deeds have already witnessed by Pra Mae Thoranee, Pra Mae Thoranee will help you, and your enemies could not do any harm to you. And the difficulties of your life, Pra Mae Thoranee also witnesses, and Pra Mae Thoranee will ease all of your difficulties.

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King Naresuan the Great

Naresuan (born 1555, Phitsanulok, Siam [now Thailand]—died April 25, 1605, on the Salween River) was the king of Siam (1590–1605), regarded as a national hero by the Thai people for having liberated the country from the Myanmar (Burmese).

In 1569 the Myanmar king Bayinnaung (reigned 1551–81) conquered Siam and placed Naresuan’s father, Maha Thammaracha, on the throne as his vassal. The capital, Ayutthaya, was pillaged, thousands of Siamese were deported to Myanmar (Burma) as slaves, and Siam then suffered numerous invasions from Cambodia. At the age of 16 Naresuan was also made a vassal of Myanmar and appointed governor of the northern province of Phitsanulok. After campaigning with the Myanmar armies in the Shan states, he renounced his allegiance to Myanmar in 1584. In a series of brilliant military operations, he defeated three Myanmar armies that had invaded Siam, frustrated repeated attempts of the Myanmar to capture the capital, and simultaneously defeated Cambodian invasions. Becoming king on the death of his father in 1590, Naresuan then took the initiative: he captured the Cambodian capital of Lovek, made Cambodia a vassal of Siam, and established suzerainty over the northern kingdom of Chiang Mai. When the Myanmar sent a huge army to curb his ambitions, Naresuan defeated and killed the Myanmar crown prince in personal combat early in 1593. Thereafter, Myanmar ceased to be a threat to Siam when civil wars broke out among contenders for the Myanmar throne, and Naresuan was able to seize the Myanmar peninsular provinces of Tavoy and Tenasserim, giving Siam a commercial outlet on the Indian Ocean.

In addition to winning a Siamese independence that was to endure almost two centuries, Naresuan laid the foundation for the military power and stability that enabled the kingdom to expand and prosper in the 17th century. He died on a military campaign in the Shan states in 1605 and was succeeded by his brother Ekathotsarot.

Battle of Nong Sa Rai

Battle of Nong Sa Rai, (1593), in Southeast Asian history, military encounter between the Tai (Thai) kingdom of Ayutthaya and the Toungoo dynasty of Myanmar (Burma) which put an end to the aggression that had been waged intermittently by Myanmar.

In 1569 the Toungoo conquered Ayutthaya and reduced it to a vassal state. After the great Toungoo conqueror King Bayinnaung was succeeded by his son Nanda Bayin (reigned 1581–99), it soon became apparent that the Toungoo Empire was in less able hands. Although then-prince Naresuen, the actual ruler of Ayutthaya, performed vassal military service to Nanda Bayin against the rebel king of Ava in late 1583, he recognized that the time was ripe to pursue Tai independence. His renunciation of vassalage to Myanmar in 1584 was followed in the next two years by four unsuccessful Toungoo invasions of Ayutthaya.

Despite the bloodshed, misery, and resources exhausted by continual warfare, Nanda Bayin continued to attempt to crush Tai independence, launching further offensives in 1586 and 1587. Again, Naresuen was able to withstand the Myanmar onslaught. From 1587 to 1590, the kingdom of Ayutthaya experienced three years of relative peace. War had devastated the countryside, however, and earthquakes and famine created additional hardships.

At the end of 1592, the last Toungoo invasion was launched by Nanda Bayin in a final effort to subjugate Ayutthaya. A huge army commanded by the inept Crown Prince Minkyi-zwa invaded the Tai kingdom. The decisive battle took place at Nong Sa Rai, where Naresuen (who had become king in 1590) commanded the superior field position. After Naresuen slew the Toungoo crown prince in a man-to-man combat, the Toungoo forces, confused and demoralized, abandoned the expedition. The Battle of Nong Sa Rai marked the end of years of warfare and misery for both kingdoms. Myanmar did not pose a threat to Tai independence for the next 150 years.

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 “ขอศิษย์ทั้งหลายอย่าอดอย่าอยากอย่ายากอย่าจนอย่าต่ำกว่าคนอย่าจนกว่าเขา”

“All of my Looksit (disciples / followers /adherents/ worshippers / devotees) will be away from destitution, failure, hardship & difficulty in living, poverty, inferiority, and deterioration in quality of life.”

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Luang Phor Guay was highly respected by Luang Phor Pare of Wat Pikulthong, Singburi Province. Many Batches of Luang Phor Pare’s amulets were blessed by Luang Phor Guay first, Luang Phor Pare would bring them to Luang Phor Guay and ask Luang Phor Guay to bless them for him before the Grand Blessing Ceremonies…

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*All of the amulet made by Luang Phor Guay, the last mantra that Luang Phor Guay blessed on amulets was “The Khata Sà-tón Klap (The Bouncing Back Mantra)”. The force of the bad intentions / activities / behaviors from your enemies hitting you, the Khata Sà-tón Klap puts an equal force back onto them, meaning those bad intentions / activities / behaviors bounce back up to your enemies.

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LUANG PHOR GUAY

Luang Phor Guay was an abbot of Wat Kositaram (Wat Ban Khae), Chainat Province living between (BE 2448 to BE 2522)

Luang Phor Guay was a disciple of many Legendary Guru Monks, for instance;

- The Holy Luang Phu Tao of Wat Kaang Kaao, a senior brotherhood of Luang Phu Suk of Wat Pak Klong Makham-tao

- The Holy Luang Phu Sri of Wat Pra Prang

- The Holy Luang Phor Derm of Wat Nong Pho

The supernatural power of Luang Phor Guay experienced by his Looksit (disciples / followers /adherents/ worshippers / devotees)

1)An ability to know the future.

2)An ability to shoot clay ball bullets from a sling bow with cursive path (line of fire) to any targets Luang Phor Guay wanted, no matter how far they were.

3)An ability to make a ring to be put on anybody’s fingers no matter where they were by blowing rings from Luang Phor Guay’s palms.

4)Photo shootings without Luang Phor Guay’s permission, those photos would be blurry or camera malfunctions.

5)An ability to make people who just visited Luang Phor Guay not to recognize Luang Phor Guay after leaving Luang Phor Guay.

6)An ability to stop gun from firing at him or anyone

7)An ability to make gun malfunction by squeezing out a piece of cloth in his hands.

8)An ability to make ants to return to their nest hole.

9)An ability to bless chicken food, and made chickens eat it if the chickens or the chicken eggs were stolen, and later eaten by the thieves, the thieves would got Dermatophytosis or Ringworm on their skins.

10)An ability to use a rock tying up with a robe, and beat up his looksit, and looksit felt no pain.

11)An ability to stop the gun from firing by saying “the gun jammed”.

12)An ability to treat people with headache by pinching their own thumbs.

13)An ability to heal people with broken bones.

14)An ability to replace the pain during child labor from wives to their husbands.

15)An ability to turn a man to both a crocodile, and then a tiger or vice versa.

16)An ability to turn midrib of a banana leaf to a green snake, and a loincloth belt to a cobra.

17)An ability to turn leaves of Maerua siamensis (Kurz) Pax tree to wasps.

18)An ability to turn a joss stick wrapped with red paper to a Siamese fighting fish.

19)An ability to hold burning charcoal in his hands

20)An ability to pick anything that his hand could hold from anyplace, no matter how far they were.

21) Luang Phor Guay’s message to his looksit would come true.

22)An ability to make his amulets floating in the water or flying in the air.

23)An ability to command wasps to sting any people he wanted. And command turtles to search for anybody he wanted.

24)An ability to toss his amulets into the air, and those amulets were flying to people whom he wanted to give amulets to, no matter where they lived.

25)An ability to know if his Looksit were assaulted or in danger, no matter where they were at.

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THE AMULETS OF LUANG PHOR GUAY

Luang Phor Guay made and blessed all of his amulets by himself. Mon Pra Gaan, the Lord Kala in Sanskrit, the Pra Gaan Mantra, the one who is beyond time (death) and universe and all life within, and the god of death. Those who have good intentions of using Luang Phor Guay’s amulets would be blessed, those who are not will be doomed. And all amulets made by Luang Phor Guay, at the final of blessing ritual, Luang Phor Guay would end with Khata Sa-ton-klap. Such Khata has a power that helps protect amulet wears from manipulators, backstabbers, and toxic people. Not only protection from those kind of people, but also people who are thinking a “bad” thought about the amulet wearers will also be doomed.

REMARK: According to Looksit (disciples / followers / adherents / worshippers / devotees) of Luang Phor Guay, Luang Phor Guay made amulets every day to release his mind power (Grasin Fire) that generated heat in his body, and Luang Phor Guay NEVER made amulets for sale. Luang Phor Guay just gave amulets to anybody he wanted.

THE BLESSING PROCESS OF AMULETS OF LUANG PHOR GUAY

Luang Phor Guay blessed his amulets at the 7 times of the day firstly in the early morning, in the late morning, in the afternoon, in the late afternoon, in the evening, in the late evening, and at midnight. These 7 times of blessing was said to be the blessing process of Black Magic, and to prolong/extent the lives of people who wear his amulets in case that people’s lifespan on earth are shorten by their bad karma. And only best guru monks or Best white robe masters could perform such rituals. Luang Phor Guay would pick the day on auspicious constellations (Rerk Mongkon), master of devil constellations (Rerk Boon Phraya Maan), and criminal constellations (Jora Rerk). Luang Phor Guay said that the Rerk Boon Phraya Maan, and Jora Rerk are constellations that help criminals, and evil people to successfully commit their crimes, and amulets of Luang Phor Guay would perform miracles to persuade those bad people to believe in good and bad karma, then they will return to support Buddhism, and finally, they will be decent citizens.

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DIMENSION: 3.10 cm high / 2.40 cm wide / 0.70 cm thick

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item # K22A51

Price: price upon request, pls PM and/or email us [email protected]

100% GENUINE WITH 365 DAYS FULL REFUND WARRANTY

Item location: Hong Kong, SAR

Ships to: Worldwide

Delivery: Estimated 7 days handling time after receipt of cleared payment. Please allow additional time if international delivery is subject to customs processing.

Shipping: FREE Thailandpost International registered mail. International items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges.

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[freudianslumber]

Tiger Man

Summary: The year was 1941, bandmates and secret lovers Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley got caught red handed by Scotty’s fiancée, and this led to the young men being thrusted headlong into the China-Burma-India theater of World War II as members of the first American Volunteer Group (The Flying Tigers).

Chapter 4. Battle of Salween Gorge

Pairing: Scotty Moore x Elvis Presley (m/m)

Word count: 3k

Warning: air combat (dog fight), plane crash, loss of consciousness, injury

It came as no surprise then, when Elvis and Scotty were summoned for their most dangerous mission yet in early May.  The Salween River which ran close to the border between Burma and China had turned into the latest battleground.  Current offensive by the Japanese involved trying to cross the Salween (also known as Nujiang in China, literally means Angry River) and advance eastward toward Chinese inland by building a temporary pontoon bridge.  If this operation were to succeed, major cities such as Kunming and even the wartime Nationalist capital of Chongqing could both be jeopardized.  It went without saying that something must be done to thwart this move by the Imperial Army. 

The second squadron of Flying Tigers, being based in the nearby city of Baoshan, was tasked with the job of carrying out airstrikes against the Japanese troops while they attempted to cross the river.  This mission was extremely risky due to a number of reasons.  Flying through the deep winding gorges of Salween River would be hazardous enough, the American fighters were also expected to face fierce counterstrikes by the enemy.  It would be foolish to think the Japanese wouldn’t be prepared for aerial attacks during their bridge construction and river crossing.

Time was of the essence, and backing out from such a critical mission would not be an option.  As the small team of eight Tigers, Elvis and Scotty included, set off for the showdown in the river gorge, every pilot was aware that this could be their last flight and chances were some of them might not return.  According to frontline intelligence, the Japanese were setting up and building the bridge all night, using the darkness as a cover. 

By the time the Flying Tigers formation approached the site of the crossing at the crack of dawn, they could see the Imperial Army had already made impressive progress, extending their temporary floating structure two third of the way across a relatively narrow part of the Salween. 

At the order of their squadron leader Tex, each member of the Flying Tigers formation began to peel off in quick succession for their dive-bombing run.  As Elvis’ p-40 descended like a bird of prey rapidly toward the unfinished bridge, he could see some Japanese soldiers running for cover, while others jumped behind anti-aircraft guns and cannons, took aim at the aerial attackers and began to fire at them with ferocious intensity.  It would be safer to release the bombs at a higher altitude, but the Memphis pair followed through with the original plan of close-to-ground precision bombing as did most of their squadron mates, sacrificing safety for accuracy.  Sounds of bombs whistling, along with loud explosions and dense gun fires pierced through the air.  One p-40 was damaged critically by anti-aircraft weapons, crashed to the ground and went up in smoke.  The Japanese side suffered more casualties and setbacks as most bombs landed on target.  Several of their boats carrying supplies for the bridge were sunk, over a third of the bridge itself was outright destroyed. 

It seemed miraculous that Elvis and Scotty’s fighter jets pulled out from their respective bombing runs relatively unscathed.  As they started to climb up to a safer altitude and prepared to begin their return trip to their base in Baoshan, the worst-case scenario suddenly became a reality.  “Memphis Flash, this is Guitar Slinger.  Enemy formation noted at 2 o’clock, 8,000 feet.”  Sure enough, a group of around 15 Oscar fighter jets was now conspicuous against daybreak just above and ahead of them.  “Copy, Guitar Slinger.  This is Memphis Flash.  Looks like the fun ain’t over yet.  It’s crowded up there.”  Scotty knew it would not be wise to get tangled up for too long with these enemy fighters because of the need to conserve fuel.  Currently their p-40s were vulnerable to diving attacks from above due to their lower altitude.  They were also outnumbered two to one, so direct confrontation and conventional dog fights were likely going to be detrimental.  “This is Guitar Slinger.  Memphis Flash, let’s stay down and play a little cat and mouse with ’em.” 

Next Scotty communicated with Tex and got permission for him and Elvis to split off from the main group.  Then instead of climbing up further to face the enemy head on, the pair of aces flew lower, dropping in between the gorges again.  Soon enough, four of the Oscars broke off from their formation and dove down to chase after them.  Swerving between steep rocky walls on either side of the river at high speed with multiple enemy fighters on their tails, this was a major test for both the pilots and their jets.  One split-second misjudgment and the consequence would be fatal.  After only minutes of this low altitude chase, the Memphis pair had dropped one of their pursuers, possibly due to accidental crash into the rocks from handling errors.  However, the rest of the Oscars were approaching firing range and the one in lead was starting to shoot at the p-40s with machine guns.   

“It’s Guitar Slinger again.  Let’s give them a little surprise ’round the next bend.”  Elvis took the hint: “Copy, this is Memphis Flash.  Ready to fight when you are.”  When they cleared the next sharp turn in the river gorge, the two American fighter jets decelerated acutely, climbed up a few hundred feet and hid behind the bend.  Moments later, as the three Japanese fighter jets came around, they were greeted with the two Flying Tigers charging down at them at close range with all guns blazing.

In the first round, the Americans benefited from their superior vantage point and the element of surprise and was able to exact heavy damage to the enemy.  Two out of the three Oscars were hit extensively, one was knocked out of position.  Elvis chased after the jet which was losing balance, finishing it off by landing more shots on its wings and midsection.  Eventually the doomed fighter caught fire and blew apart in midair, but not before striking back viciously in a final struggle, hitting the right wing and breaking the cockpit window for Elvis’ jet.   

When Memphis Flash turned back to his partner, he found Guitar Slinger being ganged up on by two enemy jets in a grueling dog fight.  “Memphis Flash, need some reinforcement here.  Runnin’ out of ammunition”.  Scotty’s voice was urgent but remained calm despite dire situation.  Elvis felt all his blood rushed up to his head at once.  “Scotty is in trouble!!” His mind screamed.  “This is Memphis Flash, I’ll distract them!”  Elvis immediately replied over the radio.  He flew straight at the two Oscars, landing multiple volleys in the body of one jet with his heavy-duty double nose guns, causing it to catch smoke and falter.  However, the other Japanese fighter had more time to react, maneuvered to his right side which was weak due to damaged wing and nonfunctioning wing gun, then fired at close range.  “Goddamnit! The engine is leaking!”  Elvis talked to himself.  He knew he needed to act now, although the self-sealing fuel tanks could buy him a little time, soon he would lose altitude and the plane would crash down.  Elvis decided that he needed to take this Oscar down with him to ensure Scotty’s safety, but his right wing gun was out and his damaged jet was not agile enough to turn to a more suitable shooting position.  But there was a last option, it had rarely been described or utilized in battle, but Elvis knew of it from his previous studies about p-40s on the base. 

Scotty’s worried voice came over the radio transceiver: “Memphis Flash, did ya get hit in the engine?  Are you hurt?”  There was a brief silence and then Elvis’ voice replied loud and clear: “Guitar Slinger, don’t worry.  I’ll take this one out for you!”  The young pilot with chestnut hair spoke silently to himself: “Bye, Scotty my love.  Mama, I hope you are proud of me.”  Then with one sudden jerk, his battered p-40 made a sharp turn starboard and rammed right into the enemy jet flying parallel to him.    

“NOOOO!!!” Scotty screamed as he witnessed his beloved make the ultimate sacrifice.  Blood dripped from his fist after he slammed it against the side wall of the cockpit, the pain was nothing comparing to what felt like his heart being torn from his chest.  Tears streamed down his face as he watched both planes fell out of the air following the violent collision, broke apart as they hit the raging Salween River underneath which carried away all the debris. 

______________________________________________________________

One afternoon in May, Wen Ying’s studies were interrupted by some knocks on her door.  She inserted a bookmark and closed the volume on Western history, before standing up from behind her desk and walking over to open the door.  Several boys from her class stood there looking and sounding excited: “Miss Yang, Miss Yang!  We went swimming and found a foreigner in the river!!”  “What??  What do you mean foreigner, not the Japanese, right?!”  “No, of course not, Miss Yang!  His hair isn’t black, and his nose is tall!”  “I’m even more confused, where is he now?  Is he alive?”  “We’ll show you, Miss Yang!” 

The city Wen Ying lived in was called Lushui, another China-Burma border town which was just to the north of Baoshan.  Nujiang, aka Salween River ran right through it, local kids frequently played alongside or even swam in it despite the danger of unpredictable currents.  It only took the boys less than half an hour to bring Wen Ying to the hidden location on the riverbank.  Right away, Wen Ying spotted her younger sister Wen Fang as well as two other classmates of hers, sitting or kneeling next to this motionless figure on the ground.  “Look, teacher!” one of the boys pointed at the one lying unconscious: “We found him in the pocket of reeds over there, still floating and clutching onto that!”  Now he was gesturing at a large piece of metal on the side which looked like the wing of one of those Japanese bombers that had terrorized them many times before, but this one was bearing the symbol of the Chinese Nationalist government: the 12-pointed “white sun” with “blue sky” background.          

“Oh, I think I know!  I bet he is one of the American pilots who had been fighting for us.  The Flying Tigers!  They had been on the news and Headmaster Yang mentioned them a lot recently.”  Wen Ying spoke with sudden recognition.  She walked over to inspect closer at the young man:  his hair was the warm color of autumn leaves, his features much too angular to be Chinese Han or even one of the Chinese minorities around this region, they reminded her of pictures of Roman sculptures she saw in history books. 

Being a 19-year-old maiden herself, Wen Ying really did not feel comfortable touching a stranger, especially a man.  However, all her students were looking to her for the next step, so she had to put aside the prudishness for now.  Quickly she checked for breathing and pulse and confirmed the young man was still alive.  Then she shook him a little by the shoulders and upper chest area, while trying to speak loudly: “Wake up! Please wake up!”  Still, she was unable to elicit any response.  The stranger really needed medical attention, but there was no simple way to get him that right now.  After some consideration, Wen Ying had to fall back to the default solution she had for every problem.  She summoned her sister Wen Fang and instructed her: “Go find Daddy, tell him we have an injured Flying Tiger here who needs help ASAP.” 

“Daddy” was Mr. Yang who also happened to be the headmaster of the elementary school Wen Ying worked at.  Mr. Yang was a learned man, graduated from the prestigious Peking University when he was young.  He worked for the Nationalist government for a few years but was disgusted by the corruption and favoritism.  He quit the job and became a journalist, reporting for one of the prominent newspapers in Peking (the city was called Beiping in Chinese then, later known as Beijing).  He got married and had two girls, Wen Ying and Wen Fang.  Then the Japanese invaded China proper in 1937 after they had already taken over Manchuria back in 1931, all the prominent eastern cities fell into Japanese occupation one by one, including Shanghai, Peking and even the capital city of Nanking.  Mr. Yang moved his entire family westward along with millions to escape Japanese rule.  He finally settled in this sleepy border town in Southwest China, becoming Headmaster of the local elementary school here.  Sadly, his wife did not survive the harsh condition and lack of medicine during their migration, succumbing to a bout of cholera.  Since then, Mr. Yang had been raising his two daughters on his own at Lushui city.  Wen Ying, 19 years old, completed studies at a women’s normal school and became a teacher working under him in the same elementary.  Wen Fang, at the age of 10, was still a student at the school.  One day when the war was over, Mr. Yang planned to move them back to Peking, get his previous job back and send his girls to the best colleges there.

Being former journalist in a big city, Mr. Yang was still very up to date with all current events including world news through both radio and the printed press.  He had raved about the exploits of the Flying Tigers for months, making sure his daughters both knew as well.  Therefore, when Wen Fang delivered the message regarding an injured Flying Tiger who needed help, Mr. Yang made sure help came as quickly as possible.  Within hours, the young American had been transferred and admitted to the only western medicine hospital in town.  His name and identity were subsequently confirmed by the water-proof military ID he carried, in addition to a Chinese government issued “blood chit” sown onto the inside of his flight jacket, with the following simple statement written in Chinese characters: “This foreigner has come to China to help in the war effort.  Soldiers and civilians, one and all, should rescue and protect him.”

Elvis had a long and meandering dream.  It took him back to the scorching cotton fields of Tupelo; Mama was picking the cotton while dragging him on a potato sack and trying to keep him shaded.  Elvis was not even one year old then, but funny how sometimes one’s earliest memories could come out subconsciously in these brief flashes.  Then there was the day the family left for Memphis, and he had to say goodbye to all his neighbors and friends.  After that there were a lot of fragments involving Scotty, how freshman Elvis admired the brilliant senior from afar, how Scotty surprised him with little acts of kindness that warmed his heart…  All the good times they had together as the Blue Moon Boys and how they bonded as bandmates.  The wrath of MaryAnn and all its consequences, the displacement of the secret lovers to another part of the world and the war they got neck-deep involved in.  Sensual scenes of lovemaking were disrupted with frantic ones involving air raids, bombing runs, dog fights.  Until a final plunge as the world turned upside down.  Elvis was back at home again judging by the sweet smell of pancakes and maple syrup.  He was sitting next to the dining room table awaiting breakfast.  Mama came in with a stash of mouth-watering home-made pancakes, prepared just the way Elvis liked them.  But Mama looked like an angel ghost, dressing in soft white satin.  Her cheeks were pale and her eyes melancholy.  She looked at her boy and slightly shook her head: “Baby, it’s not your time yet.” 

With a start Elvis came back to consciousness, slowly opening up his eyes to a room of blinding white.  He squinted and eventually got adjusted to the degree of brightness.  This appeared to be a hospital room since he was in a bed with an intravenous line attached to one arm.  A nurse came in and changed the IV bag which had run out.  Noticing the patient had woken up, the nurse left the room in a hurry and a few minutes later a gray-haired man in glasses and a white coat visited him along with an interpreter.  He introduced himself as Dr. Wu and told Elvis he was admitted to the Lushui City General Hospital.  Dr. Wu then took a history from Elvis and confirmed that he was a pilot from American Volunteer Group, better known as Flying Tigers, who had survived a crash into Nujiang River after air combat with Japanese fighter jets.  He then reassured Elvis his injuries were not critical, thanks to the sturdy construction of his armored p-40 jet which absorbed most of the impact for him.  He did suffer a concussion, a collar bone and several rib fractures, but these should heal in due time with supportive care.  Therefore, it was expected that Elvis could be discharged from the hospital soon. 

“Can I go back to Baoshan then?  I need to find my squadron again!”  Elvis inquired eagerly.  The doctor then politely avoided a direct answer to the pilot’s burning question, instead he disclosed that Elvis would be released first to Mr. Yang Hao Ning who had footed the medical bills for him so far.  “Mr. Yang is an intellectual originally from Peking, he can even speak English.  He is a very nice man, I’m sure he will make the arrangement for you to go wherever you need to go.”  Dr. Wu reassured the injured American.

#elvis presley #scotty moore #elvis fan fic #world war ii au #flying tigers #china-burma-india theater

[glasshalffullgoodnews]

Growing up in a Refugee Camp

Raised in a refugee camp, Paul Sein Twa understands the importance of finding solace in nature. Despite living in a conflict zone, he has dedicated his life to preserving the Salween River basin and its surrounding wilderness, one of the last remaining intact wildernesses in mainland Southeast Asia.

Standing Against Extractive Industries

As Myanmar transitions from a military dictatorship to a capitalist democracy, extractive industries such as mining, logging, and agribusiness have entered the area,threatening the region's biodiversity and cultural heritage. But Paul is not one to back down from a fight. He knew that something had to be done to protect this precious wilderness and the indigenous communities that call it home.

read the rest of the story at https://glasshalffull.store/blogs/glass-half-full-good-news/paul-sein-twa

#PaulSeinTwa #SalweenPeacePark #wildlifeconservation #environmentalactivism #SalweenRiver #MyanmarConservation #indigenousrights #landprotection #wildernesspreservation #peaceandconservation #culturalheritagematters #sustainability #environmentaljustice #refugeecampstories #Activism #GoldmanEnvironmentalPrize #EarthRights #Karencommunity #NatureAsOurRefuge #protectorspirit #pharmacynature #enduranceculture

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Japs Seek to Isolate China,” Ottawa Journal. April 18, 1942. Page 13. ---- A new front to cut China from Burma and India has been opened by the Japs with a sudden offensive (arrow) into the Shan States of Eastern Burma. The drive, beginning in the Salween river region, apparently was aimed at cutting the Mandalay-Lashio railroad (2), feeder link to the old Burma Road. In Central Burma, British admitted Jap infiltration on a front (1) east of Taungdwingyi. Chinese forces have withdrawn to Myohla (3), and reports today indicated that many oil fields north of Magwe, Yenanyaung, have been destroyed by the British.

#world war II #burma campaign #japanese invasion of burma #shan states #british burma #british empire #imperial japanese army #indian army #burma road #far-eastern theatre

[southeastasianists]

Over the past few months, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and the House Committee on the Review of Integrated River Basin Management have been heavily promoting inter-basin water diversion. The planned projects will divert water across Thailand from the North to the South, incorporating international river basins, including the Mekong and Salween. The stated aim is to harness the water supply in these transboundary rivers to address "water shortages" in Thailand.

The RID's documents claim that the Yuam Diversion Project will affect only 23 individuals, with one losing family farmland. However, the evidence from our trip to this area proves otherwise.

"I have been living in this home, this forest for more than four decades. No one has come to look after me and my family. Now, they are going to dam the Yuam River. They talk about all the positives of this project. I myself have no Thai ID card, even though I have been living here a long time." said Mai Ong with no last name, 67, a stateless villager from Tha Rua village in Mae Hong Son's Sob Moei district. "If this project really benefits a lot of people as they claim, personally, I am fine with having my house inundated", he adds sardonically. Mai Ong lives about 10 kilometres from the potential site of the Yuam River dam. The story is the same for other local people. Yet, you'd be hard-pressed to find one that has been counted among the affected population.

Any such trade-off is hardly free. Plans for massive hydropower dams on the Salween River in Myanmar, to be developed and financed by Thai and Chinese firms, have a long history of opposition due to their extensive impacts on the river system -- one of Asia's last remaining free-flowing rivers -- and the livelihoods and cultures of local people. This history is closely intertwined with one of protracted armed conflict between the Myanmar army and ethnic armed groups in areas where dams are proposed in Shan, Karenni and Karen states.

Despite a national ceasefire, armed clashes continue to break out, in some cases exacerbated by planned dams. Local people face looming threats -- from major impacts if the dams are built, but also as a result of speaking out about harm to their communities. Last week Saw Tha Poe, an environmental activist from Karen Rivers Watch, was targeted for arrest and charged with statements critical of the state. Saw Tha Poe has long worked to raise awareness of the risks posed by destructive developments, including hydropower dams, on his community along the Salween River.

While people in the Salween basin know the true cost of these vast infrastructure projects -- they also know the value of their river. Today, on March 14, International Day of Action for Rivers, youth from Muesaw's village will gather together with people throughout the Salween basin in Thailand and Myanmar, in order to celebrate and campaign to protect the Salween and ensure it continues flowing freely across borders -- now and into the future.

#thailand #environment #karen #mekong river #salween basin #salween river

[mostly-history]

A nurse wraps a bandage around the hand of a Chinese soldier while another wounded soldier limps up for first aid treatment, during fighting on the Salween River front in Yunnan province (China, June 22nd, 1943).

#history #military history #medical history #nursing #ww2 #second sino-japanese war #salween campaign #china #yunnan #salween river

[tedpatrick]

Drove from #Yangon to #BiluKyun (#Bilu #Island) in the middle of the #SalweenRiver (#Salween #River), just off the coast of #Mawlamyine (#Moulmein), capital city of #Mon State, #Myanmar. Beautiful communities, very peaceful, green fields everywhere. (at Bilu Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAzYzohA7jd/?igshid=1svlg4e3peebn

#yangon #bilukyun #bilu #island #salweenriver #salween #river #mawlamyine #moulmein #mon #myanmar

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Cloudy Ridges in Yunnan In the Chinese province of Yunnan, soaring mountain ridges flank a series of deep river gorges. The ridges rise well above 5000 meters (16,000 feet), while the lower parts of the gorges lie just a few hundred meters above sea level. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite observed the region on January 6, 2021, one of the most striking features was an ephemeral one—long rows of parallel clouds that traced some of the ridges. The second image shows land elevation data for the region from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Slide between the two images to see how closely the clouds align with the ridges. These orographic clouds form when the shape of the landscape (in this case, the ridges) forces moist air up to altitudes high enough and cold enough for the water vapor to condense. After the air passes over the ridges, it sinks downward again, allowing the air to warm as it descends and preventing clouds from forming until another ridge forces the air upward again. Orographic clouds can take many shapes and forms, but they move slowly and often appear stationary because their formation is so dependent on the shape of the land surface below. Between the rows of clouds, look for glimpses of the headwaters of three of Asia’s major rivers: the Jinsha (Yangtze), Lancang (Mekong), and Nujiang (Salween). Parts of two large lakes (Erhai and Chenghai) are also visible. The rivers and rugged terrain comprise part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is known as one of the most biodiverse areas in a temperate climate. According to one estimate, the area hosts at least 6,000 species of plants, 173 species of mammals, and 417 species of birds. NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview, and topographic data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Story by Adam Voiland.

#space #science #earth observatory #NASA #news #china

[lokaapiwat]

แม่น้ำสาละวิน ชายแดนไทย-พม่า #boattrip #salween #river #iphone8 #iphoneonly https://www.instagram.com/p/BsxkOZaH7dY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pc1bj8dxna5m

#boattrip #salween #river #iphone8 #iphoneonly