Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web12705.mail.yahoo.com ([216.136.173.242]) by pickering.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tu63i7.dhp.37kbi14 for ; Fri, 2 Nov 2001 16:21:10 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <20011102212110.59015.qmail@web12705.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [152.163.197.81] by web12705.mail.yahoo.com via HTTP; Fri, 02 Nov 2001 13:21:10 PST Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 13:21:10 -0800 (PST) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 475/3 To: MPCGram@yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii ============================================== MPC Gram ============================================== Covering the Entire World of Military Numismatics ----------------------------------------------- Series 002-Number 475 Friday, November 2, 2001 If cable news had been available in 1944.... by David Klinger Good Morning. It is June 4, 1944. Welcome to The Mullings Cable Network’s continuing coverage of: “Operation Overlord: What’s Taking So Long?” I’m Rich Galen. Let’s go first to MCN’s White House reporter, Greg Smith for the latest. SMITH: Thank you, Rich. Hill Leaders have told MCN news that an invasion of Europe is, in their words, “very, very imminent.” These sources, who have been privy to briefings by the Roosevelt War Cabinet, tell us that “the number of troops, the number of ships, and the sheer size of war materiel shipments” clearly point to an invasion, possibly within the next 24 hours. Rich? GALEN: Thank you, Greg. Now to the War Department and our reporter there Jim Smith. Jim? What are your sources there saying about a possible attack point? SMITH: Well, Rich. Advisors to General Marshall are hinting at a strike at Pas de Calais, perhaps as early as tomorrow. However we believe this might well be disinformation and the real point of attack will be at Normandy. We have learned that Ranger and Airborne elements have been, in effect, rehearsing for the kind of terrain they are likely to encounter on the Normandy beaches and that Airborne units might be dropped in as early as tonight. GALEN: So, Winston Churchill’s famous phrase: “We shall fight on the beaches ...” now must be considered as a clearly coded message to the French Resistance. For more on invasion plans, let’s switch to London and our MCN reporter Eric Smith. Eric what are you hearing about where these troops may be going and when they might be going there? SMITH: Rich, as you can see, the weather here is not good. Military meteorologists have advised SHAEF Command to stand down for at least the next 24 hours. If we can zoom in on this map behind me, you can clearly see that the combination of time and tides is most favorable for only the next 48 hours for a landing in France. Senior advisors to General Eisenhower are aware of, and very concerned with, the reports of growing impatience among many Americans with the amount of time it has taken to mount this invasion. GALEN: Indeed, many here are asking why it has taken two-and-a-half years from the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 to June 1944 to reach this point. Eric, if they can’t go within that window, what are Eisenhower’s options? SMITH: No good ones, Rich. Intelligence officers here in Britain are worried that if this operation has to be delayed for as long as two weeks, word will almost certainly leak to the German high command allowing them to move their defensive forces from their current location at Pas de Calais to behind the Atlantic Wall above Normandy. GALEN: That would be unfortunate. Let’s turn now to our MCN military analyst retired General Theodore “Teddy” Smith, the famous “Senior Señor of Santiago Bay.” General, you helped design the invasion of Cuba in 1898 - just 43 years ago - during the Spanish-American war, what do you make of this? SMITH: Well, Rich, I’ll use this map to illustrate. Assuming our troops will try to cross these beaches here ... and ... here. And assault these cliffs ... here, then they will have to be supported by a naval bombardment from ... here. So, we expect the Hun is flying air reconnaissance and will bring to bear their air assets to disrupt any pre-invasion shelling as soon as Allied ships are detected in this area ... here. GALEN: What about tanks, General - the Panzer Divisions of General Rommel? SMITH: Rommel is almost certainly moving his Panzer Divisions behind the Atlantic Wall ... here ... for use in a counter-attack if and when the Allied forces breach those lines. GALEN: Now, to Christianne Smith on a satellite phone in the French countryside. Christianne, what can you tell us? SMITH: Rich, there is a growing sense of apprehension here about 40 miles away from what we assume will be the point of attack on the beaches of Normandy either tomorrow or the next day. Mayor Jacque Capituler is with me. Mayor, tell our viewers how you feel about the coming invasion. CAPITULER: We don’t want to be liberated. We don’t need to be liberated. The Germans have established a perfectly workable government, here. The Americans should go liberate someone else, somewhere else. GALEN: The thorny issue of civilian casualties and collateral damage brought onto our living room screens from right there in France, Thank you Christianne. To ... where? Ok, to Edward Smith with the forces of General George Patton in Britain. Edward. SMITH: Rich, I am here in Kent, England opposite the Pas de Calais just across the English Channel which, if the weather were better, you could see behind me. MCN can now confirm that the activity here in Kent, which has been named “Operation Fortitude” is, for want of a better phrase: A complete fake. GALEN: Fake? Explain, please, for our viewers. SMITH: MCN can now report that Patton has constructed, literally, a phony army here. The tanks are cardboard. The planes are rubber. The radio traffic is faked. Reports of troop movements are completely fabricated. This operation, clearly, is designed to fool the Germans in Europe and Americans back home into falsely believing that the attack - which we now think will come tomorrow if the weather lets up - will be aimed at Pas de Calais instead of Normandy. GALEN: Excellent reporting, Edward. Joining me, now, in the studio is MCN’s Senior Ethics Advisor Emma Smith. Emma? What does it mean to the American way of life when their very own government engages in this kind of deliberately false and misleading information? SMITH: The academic community has been warning for years that the American government would too easily sacrifice the truth on the altar of some alleged short-term military so-called advantage. “If the people can’t trust the word of their government,” many of us are asking, “then what we are fighting for in the first place?” GALEN: Thank you, Emma Smith. And good luck with your exciting new book: “The Soviet Experience; Success, Solidarity, and Stalin.” We have received a few e-mails from viewers expressing discomfort with General Theodore Smith’s use of a word to describe our German adversaries which, in some minds, is derogatory. MCN apologizes for the use of the “H” word on our air. So, there you have it. The Allied Expeditionary Forces will, in fact, invade Europe not at Pas de Calais as the American public had been lead to believe, but at Normandy. And, that attack will take place either tomorrow or the next day, depending upon the weather. This is Rich Galen, MCN News. Now back to Imus. Did you Know.......(probably do) by Ed Beaman Where Is the smallest printed number, in size, numerically, on US MPC? Series 681...$20.00 note, face, left edge border. The tiny number 20's, encircled, above and below the printed "TWENTY." The second smallest number is shared by 4 different notes, all $5.00. Series 611...$5.00, back, 4 small 5's, two in the top border and two in the bottom border. A very unique note, the denomination is represented 23 times on this note, 15 times on the back alone. Of course the count is not including any serial or position numbers. Two other notes are the 641..&..651 $5.00's. On the face, right border, small encircled 5. Finally, the 661...$5.00, back, bottom border, two encircled 5's. The largest is also a $5.00 note, series 692, the huge "5" on the back. Pull 'em out....Take a look....!! ============================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------- No to Grading by Larry Smulczenski On page 1 of BNR is an article about the launching of new grading service for a wide range of paper money including MPC and select world notes. Gramsters, that's scary and truly is appropriate for Halloween. You sure don't want your notes "encapsulated" as stated under the photo with this release. Your notes need to breath and not be trapped in hunk of plastic. Most collectors pride themselves on being able to look at a note and place a grade on it. We don't need some so called expert to tell us that our note is a "67" or a "68." I believe that those numbers have driven a number of coin collectors into our camp rather than paying hundreds of dollars more for a coin with a one number higher grade increment. If you put 10 experts at a table and let them each grade the same 10 coins, no two would come up with the same grades for those 10 coins. I sure don't want my hobby playing the numbers game that has invaded the coin hobby. I will never buy a note that has been entombed in a hunk of plastic, but I'd like to hear your opinion. ============================================== Mail Call ---------------------------------------------- Dear Gramsters, The editor forgot to mention another aspect of Camp Perry that is significant to gram readers (though it HAS been mentioned previously) - one of the French "thank you" box cars is there. Joe ================================================ Departments ------------------------------------------------- Calendar of events for Gramsters maintained by Howard Daniel, Nancy and John Wilson and Gram staff, last updated September 7, 2001 show reports are requested on all events. Even if it was not a great show, there must be something to report. What and whom did you see? Market activity? Share your observations and thoughts with Gramsters everywhere. ---------------------------------------------------- Special "MPC" events March 2002 8-10 - MPCFest III - reservations in order received: Guido Crapanzano, Harold Kroll, Larry Smulczenski, Gary "Got any fours" Hicks, Tom Warburton, David Seelye, Jack Lippincot, Phil Goldstein, Warner Talso, Nick Schrier, Richard Freyser, Tom Koch, Mark Watson, Bill Yanchick, Doug Bell, Sam Feeback, Bruce Potter, Elmer Smith, Marv Mericle, Wes and Rod Hardy, Fred Schwan {running total 22}] W.W.II numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar, July 2002 Session I (Sunday, June 30 through Thursday, July 4, 2002) Session II (Sunday, July 7 through Thursday, July 11, 2002) general events will return soon --------------------------------------------------- Donations are now being accepted for scholarships to the 2002 "Military Money" course at the 2002 ANA Summer Seminar. Inquiries and donations should be sent to: Military Numismatists c/o Marcus Turner 8103 East US Highway 36 Suite 163 Avon, IN 46123 Donors to 2002 Scholarship Fund Steve Feller Harold Kroll R. A. Medina Guido Crapanzano David Seelye Leo May Warner Talso Marv Mericle Mark Watson Gail Baker ==================================================== Post/Base Exchange (PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale will be run here for free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced collector. The point is to make the gram more interesting. Send in a list of items for sale and we will list them here in the gram. In all cases confirm your order via email first. FOR SALE For sale: 481 replacement 10C third print, serial number D01656387 in VF condition. Price is $450 shipping included. The note can be seen at http://trunghanhnguyen.tripod.com/481r, please confirm "Trung Nguyen"