Skip to main content

Don Martin going to Europe? December 1917

       In early December 1917 Don Martin left Albany for Silver Creek for what would be his last days with this daughter, his Mother and his family.
Don Martin diary entry for Monday, December 3, 1917: Nothing new on the European matter but it is apparently settled that I shall go on the St. Paul Saturday. Wired Dorothy I will be up to see her. Left for Buffalo and Silver Creek at midnight.
Don Martin diary entry for Tuesday, December 4, 1917: 
Put in a fine day in Silver Creek with Dorothy. She says she is perfectly willing I should go to Europe but it is very evident she regrets it. The poor youngster! But she is game... She is a wonderful child but no longer a child. Her hair is long now and very beautiful too.
Don Martin diary entry for Wednesday, December 5, 1917: Dorothy and I were together today every minute. She has her own notions apparently about my going away but she won’t give any indication that she is worried... When I asked her if she would worry, she said, “I don’t know how to worry.”  [We] had dinner at Mother’s and after bidding the family good-bye, I went to the trolley station with Dorothy to take the 8:15 car for Buffalo. Dorothy was right there at the finish. Arrived in Buffalo at 10 and met [my sister] Alta at the [Hotel] Iroquois. She went to the [train] station with me at midnight.
        Back in New York, Don Martin began his preparations to leave for Europe but there was still uncertainty.
Don Martin diary entry for Thursday, December 6, 1917: Arrived in N.Y. at 9:30 a.m. ... Find no absolute word has come from the Commodore for me to start for Europe, but Cooper says I am going just the same. At his request I engaged a $225 Stateroom on the Philadelphia, which is to sail on Dec 16. There is no sailing of the St. Paul on Saturday, as Cooper said. I also got my passports in their final form. Everyone around the office taking it for granted I am going to Europe. I should like to be told with finality. I have from the start, despite assurances, passports and everything else, felt that something would upset the whole thing.
Don Martin diary entry for Friday, December 7, 1917: 
Had my passports vised by the British and French Consuls, so I can be ready to start for Europe at a moment’s notice if necessary. Everything held in abeyance in expectation that I shall go to Europe.
Don Martin diary entry for Saturday, December 8, 1917: Everyone around the office bidding me good-bye in anticipation of the London trip which is still in a state of uncertainty despite the fact that Cooper says I am sure to go. I certainly am getting disgusted with the delay.
Don Martin diary entry for Monday, December 10, 1917: Cooper today cabled the Commodore that I am ready to go to Europe. He, Cooper, says there is no doubt about my going. Everyone else around the office seems to feel the same way. I have doubts still.
Don Martin diary entry for Tuesday, December 11, 1917: Nothing to do but wait. Technically I am getting ready to go to London.
Don Martin diary entry for Wednesday, December 12, 1917: Got my passports vised by French Consul. Now I have everything ready to go abroad. Don’t know yet definitely so am not packing up. Everyone coming around to say farewell but I am not much of a hand for farewells and still have doubts.
Don Martin diary entry for Thursday, December 13, 1917: Am beginning to get a little disgusted over the European matter. No word yet from Bennett. Cooper says cable communication is very slow etc. Everyone beginning to ask when I shall go and naturally it is somewhat embarrassing.
Don Martin diary entry for Friday, December 14, 1917: Cooper still says I will go to Europe. He had some of the officers of the St. Louis at the office so I could meet them. Philadelphia sailing postponed. Next ship is the St. Louis on the 19th. Have made a reservation on that.

Don Martin diary entry for Saturday, December 15, 1917: Another day of uncertainty. Am getting a lot of letters congratulating me on the prospective (?) European trip.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

‘New war with Israel at any moment’, ‘still digging through rubble’

The news about Iran has taken an ominous tone in the last couple days. Here is some reporting and commentary.  Newsweek on August 18, 2025, reported that Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said ‘ We are not in a ceasefire; we are in a stage of war. No protocol, regulation, or agreement has been written between us and the U.S. or Israel. A new war with Israel could break out at any moment .’  Yonah Jeremy Bob commented in The Jerusalem Post on August 19, 2025, that ‘ Khamenei can either “drink from the poisoned chalice” of diplomatic concessions … or face more airstrikes, possibly next time some targeting him directly ’.   Bob also noted that ‘ right now Iran is still digging through rubbl e’. The U.S. attacked Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan on June 22. Two months of digging. No surprise that there has been no public news about that.
Post a Comment
Read more

Assessing possible outcomes of the snapback mechanism

The initiation by the E3 of the 30-day snapback mechanism in the UN Security Council makes everything more difficult and there is great uncertainty about the outcome. Will it be peaceful with a new nuclear deal with Iran, negotiated by the U.S., endorsed by the UNSC and verified by IAEA, or will Iran withdraw from NPT with further military action by Israel and the U.S.?                 To perhaps shed a little light on what the outcome will be, here is my analysis of how the players - Iran, U.S. and E3 - may be assessing the acceptability of the range of outcomes. Four levels of acceptability were used: 1 Fully acceptable; 2 Less acceptable; 3 Just acceptable; and 4 Not acceptable. Four near term 30-day outcomes are listed, and two optimistic outcomes with an interim U.S.-Iran agreement reached within a 6-month extension.                 For the 30-day near term, the best outcome would b...
Post a Comment
Read more

More on MOABs

MOAB is a 30,000-pound steel-alloy, precision-guided bomb designed to destroy subterranean targets. Its proper name is GBU-57, also known as “bunker buster” or Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). MOP development dates to at least 2002. In 2007, the Air Force said it could penetrate up to 200 feet. The latest version, known as GBU-57E/B, has been in the operational inventory since 2016. In January 2018, the 4th upgrade was completed. Upgrades continue, especially improving the fuse.  The number available for operational use is not public; the initial order to Boeing was for 20. In February 2018, more were ordered. Some have been used in tests.  The small number of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are the only aircraft that can deploy MOAB. There are no public reports of MOAB being used in combat. ( But it was reported that one was deployed in Afghanistan .)  Much of the impetus for the MOP program was provided by Iran’s push to bury its nuclear enrichment infrastructure deep und...
Post a Comment
Read more