World War II Teasers (puzzle)

[WSUCougar]

Each of the following phrases pieces together several things that represent World War II references. Can you get the 10, and more specifically, all of the references within?

1. This horse galloped farther, like an angel to the soaring citadels.
This is a reference to the P-51D Mustang and its increased range which allowed it to perform escort fighter duties for B-17 Flying Fortresses.

2. Batons are bereft of big cats who slept and thus somewhat inept.
Reference to the German defense of the Normany invasion. The panzer divisions, equiped with Panther and Tiger tanks (big cats) was held in reserve because Hitler was the only one able to authorise their movement and he was sleeping at the time (no one dared to wake him). Marshals (who traditionally had a baton to indicate rank) von Runstedt and Rommel were in command.

3. Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap
CAP is word-play for capital of Alabama (Montgomery), Monty's hats, and an intentional deception for Combat Air Patrol. Mummy is the Egypt connection, with wrap signifiying the beginning of the end of the Afrika Korps with El Alamein.

4. Faeries and fish make blood and iron run in circles, until the king arrives
Faery Swordfish torpedo planes damaged the Bismarck's rudder causing it to run in circles, until the British Home Fleet headed by King George V arrived to finish her off.

5. Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla
Reference to the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. "Doctor" Doolittle, Mitch = B-25 Mitchell bombers, sting = took off from USS Hornet, Godzilla attacked Tokyo from the sea.

6. Severe weather and belching flames have a great time
A reference to the Battle of Britain, when Hurricanes and Spirfires have their finest hour.

7. An old man and graduation are a red-beard’s undoing
A reference to the German invasion of Russia. Red-beard is a reference to the codename Barbarossa. Its "undoing" was Old Man Winter and the Battle of Stalingard

8. Sheltered oysters aren’t as good when the a/c is out.
A reference to Pearl harbor. It was not as strong a victory as Japan had hoped because the Aircraft Carriers (a/c) were out.

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?
The fleet of "little boats" were literally fishers of men, but Churchill also had the famous phrase about “the miracle of Dunkirk" (thus the religious reference). "Make for a fond farewell" refers to the British Expeditionary Force leaving France (fond because they weren't annihilated and lived to fight again). "Finished, Mr. Douglas?" is translated as "Done, Kirk?"

10. Big or small, the end result is super.
Reference to the 2 atomic bombs, big for Fat Man and small for Little Boy, the nicknames for the two bombs. The end result was (a) the end of the war, and (b) the birth of super powers USA and Russia. The super also refers to the B-29 Superfortresses which dropped the bombs.

[Whar]

10. Big or small, the end result is super.

The creattion and dropping of the 2 atomic bombs. Big for Fat man and small for Little Boy. I beleive those were the nicknames for the two bombs. The end results was the birth of a super power ... the USA. (And latter the Soviet Union)

[Whar]

This horse galloped farther, like an angel to the soaring citadels.

Introductuion of the P-51 Mustang. Protected the B-17 ... Flying Fortresses

[Whar]

Sheltered oysters aren’t as good when the a/c is out.

reference to Pearl harbor. It was not as strong a victory as Japan hoped because the Aircraft Carriers(a/c) were out.

[Buzzbee]

I'm guessing Sheltered Oysters in #8 would be Pearl Harbor, and wondering if a/c stands for aircraft carrier. For the Japanese, the attack on Pearl was successful, but would have been better had aircraft carriers been docked there?


{EDIT: Damn! Whar beat me to the punch}

[WSUCougar]

Very good! But you've missed a couple tidbits in each.

[WSUCougar]

Great job on Pearl Harbor.

[Whar]

Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla

A wild guess ... The Doolittle Raid ... Doctor refers Dr Doolittle the childrens story ... Godzilla destroys Toyko which the Doolittle raid bomb ... And perhaps an actor name Mitch play Doolittle at one time :)

[Buzzbee]

3. Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap

I have no idea, but I'm guessing the war in Asia/Pacific ended when something was signed on the U.S.S Alabama?

[WSUCougar]

Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla

A wild guess ... The Doolittle Raid ... Doctor refers Dr Doolittle the childrens story ... Godzilla destroys Toyko which the Doolittle raid bomb ... And perhaps an actor name Mitch play Doolittle at one time :)
Correct overall, but missing a couple things. Man, you're good at this!

[mordhiem]

4. Faeries and fish make blood and iron run in circles, until the king arrives

Fairy torpedo planes damadged the Bismark's rudder casuing it to run in circles, until the Home Fleet headed by King George V arrived to finish her off.

[mordhiem]

3. Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap

I have no idea, but I'm guessing the war in Asia/Pacific ended when something was signed on the U.S.S Alabama?

CAP = combat air patrol?

[Whar]

Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap

Alabama was the Home of the Tuskegee Airmen ... They flew CAP (Combat Air Patrol) in Europe. In fact were famous for it but the mummy calls it a wrap part has me stumped

[WSUCougar]

Fairy torpedo planes damadged the Bismark's rudder casuing it to run in circles, until the Home Fleet headed by King George V arrived to finish her off.
Nice! These are too easy or you guys are WW2 pros.

[HornedFrog Purple]

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

Said in the speech by MacArthur concluding the surrender on V-J day. Douglas=MacArthur.

[mordhiem]

Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla

A wild guess ... The Doolittle Raid ... Doctor refers Dr Doolittle the childrens story ... Godzilla destroys Toyko which the Doolittle raid bomb ... And perhaps an actor name Mitch play Doolittle at one time :)

B-25 Mitchell bombers carried out the the raid maybe?

[WSUCougar]

The Alabama comments thufar are incorrect. And HFP, you're barking up the wrong tree on MacArthur.

[WSUCougar]

B-25 Mitchell bombers carried out the the raid maybe?YES! Still missing one tidbit from that one, though.

[Whar]

This horse galloped farther, like an angel to the soaring citadels

"This horse galloped farther" This is a reference to the P-51D Mustang its increased range allowed it to perform escort fighter duties for B-17 Flying Fortresses.

"Soaring Citadel" B-17 Flying Fortress

"like an angel " Is this the reference I am nmissing?

[WSUCougar]

This horse galloped farther, like an angel to the soaring citadels

"This horse galloped farther" This is a reference to the P-51D Mustang its increased range allowed it to perform escort fighter duties for B-17 Flying Fortresses.

"Soaring Citadel" B-17 Flying Fortress

"like an angel " Is this the reference I am nmissing?
No, the range was the missing piece. Outstanding!

[Whar]

Mitchell bombers I could just kick myself right now :)

[mordhiem]

2. Batons are bereft of big cats who slept and thus somewhat inept.


I think this may refer to D-Day

The SS Panzer Lehr division, equiped with Tiger tanks (big cats) was held in reserve on D-Day because Hitler was the only one able to authorise their movement and he was sleeping at the time (no one dared to wake him). Does Batons somehow refer to the German troops?

[WSUCougar]

I think this may refer to D-Day

The SS Panzer Lehr division, equiped with Tiger tanks (big cats) was held in reserve on D-Day because Hitler was the only one able to authorise their movement and he was sleeping at the time (no one dared to wake him). Does Batons somehow refer to the German troops?
You got most of it...

[mordhiem]

3. Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap

Like a mummy = raise from the dead? Wasn't USS Alabama one of the ships sunk at Pearl Harbour that was recovered and recommisioned?

CAP has to be a reference to Combat Air Patrol

[WSUCougar]

*buzzer*

Sorry, no.

[Whar]

Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla

Is a reference to the Doolittle Raid. It was carried by B-25 Mitchels. The stings like Godzilla part ... Is that a reference to the raid small actaul effect, the sting, but enormous pyschological effect on the Japanese people as well as American people.

[WSUCougar]

#2, #5, and #10 are very close to completion, FYI.

[mordhiem]

RE #2, the only thing I could think of with Batons is that all Field Marshall's traditionaly have a baton as part of their uniform. von Runstedt was in command of German forces in Normandy and he was a Field Marshall.

Tenous I know...

[WSUCougar]

Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla

Is a reference to the Doolittle Raid. It was carried by B-25 Mitchels. The stings like Godzilla part ... Is that a reference to the raid small actaul effect, the sting, but enormous pyschological effect on the Japanese people as well as American people.
Nope. Heh.

[WSUCougar]

RE #2, the only thing I could think of with Batons is that all Field Marshall's traditionaly have a baton as part of their uniform. von Runstedt was in command of German forces in Normandy and he was a Field Marshall.

Tenous I know...
Bingo. (Rommel was a marshal as well)

[Whar]

10. Big or small, the end result is super.

The creattion and dropping of the 2 atomic bombs. Big for Fat man and small for Little Boy. I beleive those were the nicknames for the two bombs.

The super result ... It ended the war.

[HornedFrog Purple]

An old man and graduation are a red-beard’s undoing

Red beard is a reference to Barbarossa, now for the rest of it.

[Fritz]

Big or small, the end result is super.
Almost there

a ref to the b 29?

[WSUCougar]

10. Big or small, the end result is super.

The creattion and dropping of the 2 atomic bombs. Big for Fat man and small for Little Boy. I beleive those were the nicknames for the two bombs.

The super result ... It ended the war.
Yes, getting closer, but one more triple meaning...

[WSUCougar]

Big or small, the end result is super.
Almost there

a ref to the b 29?
YES! The Superfortress.

[mordhiem]

Nagasaki was a small target, Hiroshima was a big target? (In civilian terms)

EDIT: Obviously not then. :)

[Fritz]

Godzilla came from the sea, as did the Bombers

[Whar]

An old man and graduation are a red-beard’s undoing

Red-beard is a reference of Barbarossa.

It was done in by Old Man Winter and ...

the graduation of the Russian Army at the Battle of Stalingard. :)

[WSUCougar]

Godzilla came from the sea, as did the Bombers
Yes, but one more thing missing.

[Fritz]

fire

[mordhiem]

7. An old man and graduation are a red-beard’s undoing

Another shot in the dark here:

If 'red-beard' refers to Barbarossa, could 'graduation' refer to a promotion? As in von Paulus' promotion to Field Marshall at Stalingrad (meaning he couldn't surrender)? I fully expect this to be wrong, but oh well.

[WSUCougar]

An old man and graduation are a red-beard’s undoing

Red-beard is a reference of Barbarossa.

It was done in by Old Man Winter and ...

the graduation of the Russian Army at the Battle of Stalingard. :)
Excellent. The "grad" thing was Stalingrad.

[Godzilla Blitz]

5. Doctor Mitch stings like Godzilla

Doctor refers to Doolittle. Mitch refers to the B-25 Mitchell bomber. "Stings like Godzilla" refers to both the fact that the raid was valuable for morale purposes but did little actual damage and to the fact that the raid used incendiary bombs (some of the bombs, anyway), much like Godzilla breathes fire.

edit: Typo: Not B-52, but B-25

Edit again: I see Whar got to this first. Thread moving fast.

[HornedFrog Purple]

An old man and graduation are a red-beard’s undoing

Red beard is a reference to Barbarossa, now for the rest of it.

Old man must be Stalin and graduation might be Vasilievsky (sp?)who took over combat operations when Shaposomethingorother became sick. These two men led the defensive against red beard (codenamed Barbarossa) which was the German assault in 1941 of the USSR.

Edit: ok I suck :p

[WSUCougar]

No, the Godzilla connection is complete. Sting has another application, though.

[WSUCougar]

Old man must be Stalin and graduation might be Vasilievsky (sp?)who took over combat operations when Shaposomethingorother became sick. These two men led the defensive against red beard (codenamed Barbarossa) which was the German assault in 1941 of the USSR.
*chuckle*

I like it, but that one has been completed. :cool:

[Fritz]

6. Hurricanes (or Typhoons) and Spirfires have their finest hour (battle of Brit)

[Fritz]

No, the Godzilla connection is complete. Sting has another application, though.

the pin of the friendship medals?

[WSUCougar]

6. Hurricanes (or Typhoons) and Spirfires have their finest hour (battle of Brit)
Excellent!

[Whar]

The Doolittle raid was launched from the USS Wasp. (Sting reference)

[mordhiem]

6. Hurricanes (or Typhoons) and Spirfires have their finest hour (battle of Brit)

Wow, good one! I was stumped there.

[WSUCougar]

The Doolittle raid was launched from the USS Wasp. (Sting reference)
Close, but not quite correct.

[Whar]

Hornet ... I bow my head in shame :(

[WSUCougar]

Hornet ... I bow my head in shame :(
Completed!

[WSUCougar]

#3 and #9 are left. Back in a bit.

[Whar]

Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap

This one has nothing to do with the Tuskegee Airmen?

*Edit adding the other unanswered one so I d not have to switch pages *
Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

[Godzilla Blitz]

I bow to Whar. We're not worthy.

[Fritz]

3. Alabama tips its CAP, and like a mummy calls it a wrap

1943 - Civil air patrol helps force the withdrawl of U boats from the atlantic and gulf of mexico

[Fritz]

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

anything to do with Midway and SBDs?

[Godzilla Blitz]

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

Fishers of men = Phillipines
McCarthur left them, saying "I shall return".

[Whar]

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

Guessing at a few things

Fishers of men - Is this a reference to the 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 - Priest?

Mr. Douglas - a reference to the Douglas half of McDonnell-Douglas

[Godzilla Blitz]

I'm pretty sure Fishers of men = apostles. Phillip was one of the apostles. Phillipines = many Phillips, hence the plural.

[Whar]

That seems a good connection Godzilla Blitz but the 'fond farewell' part seems out of place Macarthur left the Phillipines in defeat. A significant force was left behind and ultimately captured. The resulting march of these captives up the Bataan penisula become known as the Bataan Death March.

The guerilla campaign that wage in the Phillipines thru out the war was particularly brutal. When Allied forces finally returned to the Phillipines 65,000 Japanese troops continued fighting till the wars end. 19,000 under a Japanese Admiral turned on the citizens of Manila in the final weeks of the war killing 100,000 civilians.

Perhaps number 9 refers to Macarthur second departure from the Phillipines to head up the Japanese occupation?

[Buzzbee]

That seems a good connection Godzilla Blitz but the 'fond farewell' part seems out of place Macarthur left the Phillipines in defeat. A significant force was left behind and ultimately captured. The resulting march of these captives up the Bataan penisula become known as the Bataan Death March.

The guerilla campaign that wage in the Phillipines thru out the war was particularly brutal. When Allied forces finally returned to the Phillipines 65,000 Japanese troops continued fighting till the wars end. 19,000 under a Japanese Admiral turned on the citizens of Manila in the final weeks of the war killing 100,000 civilians.

Perhaps number 9 refers to Macarthur second departure from the Phillipines to head up the Japanese occupation?

We're not worthy. Whar must be a history professor, and methinks he needs to change his handle from whar to war. Whar knows war.

[Whar]

My father was a history teacher. He majored in Military History. I spent a great deal of my youth wandering battlefields of America and listening to him. He has an absolutely amazing amount of knowledge regarding American History.

Any knowledge of history I have I owe to him.

[MrBug708]

Montgomery is in Alabama and we know he fought in Northern Africa which is where Egypt made the term "Mummy" popular. As for the Cap part, I haven't figured that out.

[WSUCougar]

Montgomery is in Alabama and we know he fought in Northern Africa which is where Egypt made the term "Mummy" popular. As for the Cap part, I haven't figured that out.
Everything but this is cold.

[MrBug708]

I'm assuming that the CAP part is a bold reference to how Montgomery wore his hats rather than it standing for C.A.P. or along that lines....

[MrBug708]

Egypt was the staging point for into Sicily and the end of the fight in Africia.

[MrBug708]

Is CAP a friendly match term? lol

[WSUCougar]

I'm going to give you #3 as completed.

CAP is word-play for capital of Alabama (Montgomery), Monty's hats, and an intentional deception for Combat Air Patrol. Mummy is the Egypt connection, with wrap signifiying the beginning of the end of the Afrika Korps with El Alamein.


Good job, Bug!

[Godzilla Blitz]

That was fun, Cougar! Thanks!

Good job, everyone.

[WSUCougar]

That was fun, Cougar! Thanks!

Good job, everyone.
#9 is still unanswered!

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

[MrBug708]

Id love to think that the Douglas reference was to Stephen Douglas, since it's a last name obviously, but I really have no clue. Stephen was the first Christian martyr

[MrBug708]

Or could it be Oliver Wendall Douglas and something to do with Green Acres?

[WSUCougar]

Brrrrr, it's chilly in here! ;)

[MrBug708]

What about Douglas Bader, the legless RAF captain who was capture and sent to Colditz, Prison Camp for Allied Officers?

[WSUCougar]

Nein.

[MrBug708]

That means no, right?

[WSUCougar]

That means no.

Remember, it's wordplay. Don't be quite so literal.

[MrBug708]

Kirk Douglas played Patton at one time, in the movies....

[Godzilla Blitz]

We didn't get #9 above? Not even close?

Posts 60, 62, then 63?

[WSUCougar]

Nope, sorry GB.

[MrBug708]

*shrugs*

I havent a clue. What about a hint? It's probably supwer easy, but I don't know where to start....

[Buzzbee]

#9 is still unanswered!

9. Fishers of men make for a fond farewell. Finished, Mr. Douglas?

"Fishers of men"

Could that reference a sea rescue? Fishing men out of the water after a ship has sunk/is sinking? Mr. Douglas a Captain or ship's name?

I got nuttin'.

[WSUCougar]

"Fishers of men"

Could that reference a sea rescue? Fishing men out of the water
Hmmm, a warming trend.

[Fritz]

I was going to go with this angle next. I spent some time looking at Douglas seaplanes, but then something flashed in front of my eyes and I thought "oh, a bauble" and drifted away.

[sachmo71]

I can't believe I missed the whole thing. :(

Is #9 some reference to George Gay at the battle of midway?

[WSUCougar]

I can't believe I missed the whole thing. :(

Is #9 some reference to George Gay at the battle of midway?
I kept waiting for you to show up! :(

And no.

[Godzilla Blitz]

I was going to go with this angle next. I spent some time looking at Douglas seaplanes, but then something flashed in front of my eyes and I thought "oh, a bauble" and drifted away.

I was just going in the same direction. Is there a rescue plane named after a fish-eating bird?

Pipers? Something like that?

[MrBug708]

I found a mention of a Destroyer called the Douglas saving an Oceanliner's passengers out of the seas.

[Buzzbee]

Wasn't there a famous story about a shark feeding frenzy after an American ship went down? Probably drifting into colder waters, but it's the only famous "rescue" I can think of other than the Titanic.

[sachmo71]

Wasn't there a famous story about a shark feeding frenzy after an American ship went down? Probably drifting into colder waters, but it's the only famous "rescue" I can think of other than the Titanic.

The Indianapolis had some pretty bad shark attacks.

[Buzzbee]

The Indianapolis had some pretty bad shark attacks.

Yeah, I believe that's what I was thinking of. Amazing how little I know about so much.

[Dutch]

Captained by McVey.

Perhaps The Fishers of Men and Fond Farewell Mr. Douglas is the Navy getting the Army out of the Phillipines with Douglas MacArthur claiming, "I shall return!"

[WSUCougar]

Cold again.

Fishers of men has duel meaning (literal and religious).
"a fond farewell" is literal
"Finished, Mr. Douglas?" is strict wordplay

[Godzilla Blitz]

Brrrrr, it's chilly in here! ;)

If this is a hint, the sea rescue makes sense.

[WSUCougar]

Perhaps The Fishers of Men and Fond Farewell Mr. Douglas is the Navy getting the Army out of the Phillipines with Douglas MacArthur claiming, "I shall return!"
MacArthur is NOT involved, but you're on the right track.

[sachmo71]

Is it the Panay Incident?

[Wolfpack]

Here's a really silly, out-there one. Kirk Douglas played the Captain of the Nimitz in "The Final Countdown". In it, they fished out a US senator and his assistant from the water after they were straffed by the Japanese. It lead to a happy ending for one of the crew of the Nimitz who got left behind in 1941, but ended up marrying the assistant.

Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with World War II other than the fact that the movie was mostly set in the days prior to Pearl Harbor.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Where the hell is Whar?

You make these, Cougar, or find them someplace?

I think we'll eventually get it without hints.

Sachmo's here now, too. He's a walking WWII encyclopedia.

#9 will fall!

[WSUCougar]

You make these, Cougar, or find them someplace?
Did 'em up this morning at Sachmo's request. :D

[Buzzbee]

Did 'em up this morning at Sachmo's request. :D

Isn't it ironic...

[Godzilla Blitz]

Random Brain Fart:

Maybe "Finished", if it's wordplay, has something to do with Finland? That would make the Russo-Finnish war relevent? Soviets leaving Finland. No clue on the rest of it. That would make sense with the "cold" hint.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Did 'em up this morning at Sachmo's request. :D

Impressive! Great job!

[WSUCougar]

Impressive! Great job!
Thanks! It's been fun, although the way Whar was tearing them up, I thought it was too easy at first.

[sachmo71]

Was it Otto Skorzeny's rescue of Mussolini in Italy?

[Fritz]

WSUCougar - these have been outstanding.

[WSUCougar]

WSUCougar - these have been outstanding.
Gracias

[sachmo71]

The evacuation at Dunkirk?

There were all sorts of people and ships there, although I don't know of any direct relation to clergy.
Fond farewell could be Churchill's speech "We shall never surrender!" (Queue Aces High!)
I don't get the finished part, although it could be a reference to Hitler believing the British army to be defeated.

[WSUCougar]

Breakthrough!!!

[sachmo71]

Really? You'll have to explain the parts I was fuzzy on.

But yay for us!

[Fritz]

great work sachmo

[sachmo71]

:D

[WSUCougar]

You want me to spell it all out or you want to break its parts down?

[Godzilla Blitz]

Douglas refers to De Gaulle?

[WSUCougar]

Nope. ;)

[Godzilla Blitz]

I suck.

[sachmo71]

Douglas=Dynamo?

[Whar]

Finshed Mr Douglas .... Are you "Dun" 'Kirk" Douglass?

[WSUCougar]

He's truly amazing, folks.

YES

[WSUCougar]

The fleet of "little boats" were literally fishers of men, but Churchill also had the famous phrase about “the miracle of Dunkirk" (thus the religious reference). "Make for a fond farewell" refers to the British Expeditionary Force leaving France (fond because they weren't annihilated and lived to fight again). "Finished, Mr. Douglas?" is translated as "Done, Kirk?"

[sachmo71]

SWEET!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Let's ry this again...

Thanks again, Cougar.

Good job, everyone (except me).

We'll be looking for a new batch tomorrow. ;)

[sachmo71]

new batch! new batch!