Wolf pack

2007-05-06T21:01:33Z

69.138.229.246: Undid revision 128742221 by 67.186.224.246 (talk)

{{redirect|Wolfpack}}
The term '''wolf pack''' refers to the mass-attack tactics against [[convoy]]s used by [[U-boat]]s of the [[Kriegsmarine]] during the [[Second Battle of the Atlantic|Battle of the Atlantic]] and [[submarine]]s of the [[United States Navy]] against [[Japan]]ese shipping in the [[Pacific Ocean]] in [[World War II]].

[[Karl Dönitz]] used the term ''Rudel'' to describe his strategy of submarine warfare – ''Rudel'' translates best as "pack" of animals and has become known in [[English language|English]] as "wolf pack" (''Wolfsrudel''), a more accurate metaphoric, but not literal, translation.

U-boat movements were controlled by the ''[[Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote]]'' much more closely than American submarines, which were given tremendous independence once on patrol. Accordingly, U-boats usually patrolled separately, often strung out in co-ordinated lines across likely convoy routes, only being ordered to congregate after one located a convoy and alerted BdU, so a ''Rudel'' consisted of as many [[U-boat]]s as could reach the scene of the attack. With the exception of the direction of the [[Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote]], the U-Boat Captains could attack as they saw fit. Often the U-Boat commanders were given a probable number of U-Boats that would show up, and then when they were in contact with the convoy, make call signs to see how many had shown up. If the number was sufficient to the Commanders, or if the threat of increased escorts was a possibility, they would attack. American wolf packs, usually comprised three boats that patrolled in close company, organized before they left port under the command of the senior captain of the three. [[Charles Momsen|"Swede" Momsen]] devised the tactics and led the first American wolf pack to sea in October [[1943]].

Wolf packs fell out of use during the [[Cold War]]. Modern submarines are so much more maneuverable and destructive than those of [[World War II]] that there is no need for them to hunt in packs. Instead, the [[United States Navy]] deploys its attack submarines on individual patrols, with the exception of one or (rarely) two attack submarines in each carrier group. American ballistic missile submarines have always operated alone. (Soviet ballistic missile submarines operated in well-protected [[bastion (naval)|bastion]]s.) However, with the opening shots of the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] in March 2003, the term "wolf pack" was brought back into use to describe the fleet of American and British [[nuclear submarine]]s which operated together in the [[Red Sea]] to fire [[BGM-109 Tomahawk|tomahawk missiles]] at [[Iraq]]. [[USS Providence (SSN-719)|USS ''Providence'']] was the first boat to fire its entire load of missiles and earn the nickname "Big Dog of the Red Sea Wolf Pack."

== References ==
* Karl Dönitz, ''Memoirs: Ten Years and Twenty Days'' (New York: World Publishing Company, 1958)

* Peter Maas, ''The Terrible Hours: The Man Behind the Greatest Submarine Rescue in History'' (HarperCollins New York, 1999)

* E. B. Potter and Chester W. Nimitz, eds; ''Sea Power: A Naval History'' (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1960)

{{Uboat}}

[[Category:Naval warfare tactics]]
[[Category:Wolfpacks of World War II|*]]

[[da:Ulvekobbel]]
[[de:Rudeltaktik]]
[[ja:群狼作戦]]
[[pl:Wilcze stado]]
[[sr:Вучји чопор]]

Abandoned footwear

2006-10-10T02:32:39Z

69.138.229.246: /* References */

'''Abandoned footwear,''' generally a lone [[boot]] or shoe, is frequently noted in [[ponds]] and along roadsides (particularly highways). It is not known why old shoes and boots seem to be publicly abandoned more often than other articles of [[clothing]], such as [[shirts]] or [[caps]].
While the practice of publicly abandoning old shoes has been noted in multiple countries (including [[Great Britain]]<ref>http://www.widemedia.com/fashionuk/news/2004/08/02/news0003247.html</ref>), it does not seem to have any set meaning attached to it<ref>http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.htm</ref>, and may be a simple form of imitation.
It is possible that shoes, being more sturdily constructed than most other types of clothing, simply last longer after being abandoned outdoors—leather shoes, for instance, are estimated to last for 25-40 years outside.<ref>http://www.recycle.ubc.ca/littermain.html</ref>) However, the opposite of this hypothesis is the commoness of obviously intentional shoe abandonment, such as [[shoe tossing]], in which shoes are tied together by their laces and thrown in great numbers into [[shoe tree (roadside attraction)|shoe trees]], over power lines, or over fences<ref>http://www.bdb.co.za/shackle/articles/fences.htm</ref>.

==In Popular Culture==
*A fisherman hauling up an old [[boot]], rather than a fish, is an old comic-strip joke.

==See also==
*[[Shoe tree (roadside attraction)|Shoe tree]]
*[[shoe flinging]]
*[[shoe tossing]]

==External links==
*[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0325007535 ''Shoes on the Highway'' (book): A drama teacher uses roadside shoes to inspire student art.]
*[http://books.heinemann.com/shoesonthehighway/default.aspx 33 photos of shoes on the highway, by the author of "Shoes on the Highway."]
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrtruffle/sets/879175/show/ Flickr photos: footwear abandoned by the side of the road, on sidewalks, and elsewhere.]
*[http://www.widemedia.com/fashionuk/news/2004/08/02/news0003247.html About Shoe Friends, a British group dedicated to keeping people from abandoning or binning their shoes.]
*[http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:7izOVohrahgJ:www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/entertainment/12321359.htm+%22abandoned+shoes%22+(road+OR+highway+OR+freeway+OR+roadside)&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6&client=firefox-a Wichita Eagle article about shoe abandonment (google cache).]

==References==
<references/>
{{culture-stub}}

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Wolf pack

Abandoned footwear