More Military Trivia

[Guns Garrett]

Just a few tidbits...
While stationed at the Naval Air Station at Atsugi, Japan, I got to pull shore patrol with a seasoned Navy First Class Petty Officer who had been there several years.  We were to drive around the base after hours, doing routine security checks - basically like neighborhood watch.  It was my first experience driving in Japan - who like the Brits, drive on the left (wrong) side.  Its also where I learned to hate traffic circles (roundabouts; which, by the way, one was just built at Garnett, KS.).  Anyway during our tour arond the base, the P.O.1c pointed out the "Commodore's House", the Commanding officer of the Naval Hospital.  Now the C.O. of the base was a Navy Captain (O-7), and and so was the C.O. of the Hospital.  I was informed that since a [Navy] Command can have only one Captain, the Hospital C.O. was granted the honorary title (not rank) of Commodore.  The C.O. of Carrier Air Wing (Group) 5, from the U.S.S. Midway, also a Captain, had an in-port residence, and where his family lived, that was referred to as the "CAG Residence".

The way I understand it, normally the rank of commodore is only used in wartime to designate a commander of a Task Group, depending on whether the TG has a Flag Officer (Rear-, or Vice-Admiral) embarked.  The Flag Officer may be have overall operational command, but the Commodore usually has tactical command of the ships.  A larger Task Force usually has a RA or VA in command , and of course a Fleet would have a full Admiral.  The Fleet Admiral" (5-Star), is again normally a wartime rank, who has tactical Command of the entire Navy, under the direct command of the CNO.  The last Fleet Admirals were Halsey, King, and Nimitz, but I can't remember who lived the longest.  I believe the last General of the Army was Omar Bradley.  I remember that because I saw a special on T.V. several (20?) years ago where he promoted Jimmy Stewart to Brig. General, USAF.  Bradley was over ninety years old, and in a wheelchair.

More trivia - Who (and when, where) was the only U.S. Marine to command an Army? 

BTW - the plural of Sergeant Major is "Sergeants Major", not Sergeant Majors.  Kinda like "Courts Martial".

If a Brigadier General did not command a Brigade, he would still be a General, but wouldn't he be a "Minor General" (well...we have Major Generals, don't we?)

Why do Brits (and Aussies, and Kiwis, and Canadians, and others) refer to lieutenants as "leftenants"?  (my father once jokingly said it was a speech impediment caused by the British "stiff upper lip")

Is this right - Altern (or is it Sub-Altern) is the equivalent of a 2nd Lieutenant?  Ensign (originally) was the equivalent of Color Sergeant?

Why does Great Britain have the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army?

Can I go now?  My brain is full.

[Gripmaker]

Guns,  Are you going to be at the Muster to answer these and a few other questions?  Since you are so close, it might be fun to get together sometime and shoot the ....,well talk a little.