Eagle, Globe, And Anchor Puns

(sample) FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I: THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE, AND ANCHOR (sample)

Spent the Christmas weekend doing a bit of research, brainstorming, and locating known numbered Roman Legions during the time this story takes place for this story suggestion. Surprisingly, the story seemed to write itself which is great, since the dear readers and listeners seem to enjoy those the most. I need to cross reference a few maps of southern Italy and compare place names and trade routes of ancient Rome and look up the Roman word for "incinerate" and should be done with the story soon. Meanwhile, here's a sample...

Colonel Gabriel inhaled deeply as he spoke, and Captain Tanelli winced unconsciously, expecting an ass chewing in front of her fellow staff and command officers who were crowded inside the large tent that was serving as the unit’s TOC (tok- Tactical Operations Center). Instead, in an aggravated though calmer and collected tone, Colonel Gabriel said, “Look, Captain Tanelli. I’m not doubting whether or not those occurrences actually happened. Hell! We’re stuck 2,000 freaking years in the past! What I need to know are quantifiable and scientific theories of how we got here and what that thing was who said he was ‘god’! Most of all, I need to know how we are going to get the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit back to where we belong, or at least to the 1960’s. I heard that was a fun freaking decade!”

On my second pair of Reckonings and within just a couple of months they're so worn you can't even tell they ever displayed an EGA.

I've tried scrubbing them out using a toothbrush, scuzz brush, wire grill brush, a pencil eraser and Kiwi Boot Cleaner so far.

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 1/8)

“Okay, hear me out. This is going to sound strange, but what if… what if… my theory is actually true? It would explain a lot of things, and answer a lot of the questions that are plaguing us right now. Let’s imagine for a moment that the earth, alone in the galaxy or perhaps even in the universe, has been chosen to be nothing more than a giant chess board, a chess board where both time and space do not hinder or help in the outcome of the game. Now, let’s imagine that there are two diametrically opposing forces at either end of the chess board. Let’s label them good and evil- light or dark- whichever you wish, who, at critical times in cosmic history will take individuals, or perhaps even entire military units, and place them at strategic locations during crucial moments to affect the outcome of the timeline. What if these… umm, chess moves, for lack of a better term, has changed the course of our history over and over again? What if Abraham Lincoln had actually lived, but a chess piece had been moved to assassinate him? What if Hitler had been killed in World War One, but a chess piece had been moved to save him? What if a chess piece had been moved to save Trump from assassination?”

“Excuse my French,” said Marine Colonel Solomon Gabriel. “But are you freaking shitting me, Chaplain Johnson?” The forty-eight year old Marine Corps colonel with the skin tight buzz cut and the low flat top of prematurely white hair glared at the chaplain of his 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Colonel Gabriel wasn’t a religious man. Three tours of Iraq and two in Afghanistan pretty much convinced him that there was no God, at least not a loving one, despite what his Marines might have seen and experienced in the last few days.

“Chaps, I have the entire MEU (mee-yu: Marine Expeditionary Unit) spread out on the beaches of the Reggio di Calabria on the southern tip of Italy and trapped two-thousand years in the past! I ordered this command and staff meeting to compile all of the intel that we’ve been able to gather so far, and that includes you briefing me on what the hell that thing was that we saw! I need answers on how we’re going to get my 2,400 Marines back to where they belong, not a lecture on some metaphysical Doctor Who bullshit or some ancient alien theory about Jesus, the light saber wielding Jedi!”

“Sir, I’m just offering…” said the chaplai

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 8/8 CONCLUSION)

There was none of the resupply that the entity had promised at the new site as it had been in Sibari over a week ago. Still, Colonel Gabriel couldn’t allow that from stopping him from establishing the new consolidated operating base, though they would have to ration the use of MOGAS and especially JP-8 aviation fuel, which they were down to less than 35%. To limit the movement of the Legions, Gabriel had his Harriers and engineers blow all of the bridges to the southern and eastern approaches within a five mile perimeter to the base, leaving only the three large bridge crossings to the northwest of his position leading to Naples. It took two days for his engineers to create and improve the hard packed road which led up a gentle 300 meter slope to the main fire base located on a commanding position 50 meters at the top of the ridge. At the base of the ridge where the engineers had constructed the road, Gabriel positioned the air field where his air assets would be launching. Two streams ran parallel to each other on the base’s southeastern perimeter where the water purification Marines busily began restocking the MEU’s 500 gallon water containers. By limiting and conserving fuel usage, Major Alexander Easter the Operation’s Officer estimated that the MEU had a week ten days of fuel left, assuming that the Marines went over to the defense. Gabriel hated giving up the initiative to the Romans as it allowed them to maneuver and consolidate their forces and Gabriel had no doubt that was exactly what the entity wanted to happen. It was pulling the strings which would force one climactic encounter between his Marines and the Roman Legions. Still, Gabriel once again sent out platoons of Marines to scour the surrounding countryside, looking to see if they could find any signs of the entity leaving a resupply depot. After two days of searching, in which time the Marines were consolidating and improving their defensive positions, it became apparent that there was no resupply to be found, although the patrolling Marines did report heavy Roman movement to the west and south and especially north, where the Legions were looking to consolidate in south Naples. Already they were either bypassing or repairing the bridges which had been blown. By Major Easter’s estimation, they would be in south Naples and ready to move against the Marines in abo

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 4/8)

Senator Furius Camillus strode hesitantly across the polished marble floor of the chamber that Emperor Tiberius was using as his grand court room. Camillus walked past a row of armored Pretorian Guards and nervously handed the scroll to his Emperor. Emperor Tiberius had travelled from Rome all the way south to the military garrison in the mountains west of Crotona to be close to the battles.

“More news from our forces in Rhegium, my liege,” Camillus said.

Tiberius unfurled the scroll, his brows furrowing in anger almost immediately:

Legion Legate Marcus Lollius

Legion II Parthica

Hail Caesar Tiberius,

The Legion II Parthica has met the invaders as we crossed the foothills over the shores of Rhegium. My scouts led the vanguard of the legion, but at the place where we had been informed the invaders had made camp, my cavalry commander, Captain Castus, informed me that naught could be seen upon the high plains except the villages which we had ordered to be evacuated.

The shadows were growing long by the time the rest of the Legion II Parthica arrived and we made to start camp for the evening. Already we received word from Legion XVI Gemina that they had already made camp in the valley along the northern approaches to the beaches. However, ere Apollo could complete his trek across the sky, the veil of secrecy was lifted over the plain and we could plainly see the invaders. Though they were still far distant, we could see that they were giants, each clothed in some type of strange green and brown armor which made them appear to blend with their surroundings. And they rode upon terrible dragons of many sizes and they were colored in either shades of sand or in colors of green and brown.

I was only afforded a moment’s view of the enemy when there came the sound like that of the rumbling of the oceans from an angry Neptune from where the invaders stood and all about us came a terrible whistling. Then the earth before the Legion was ripped and torn apart as if by lightning strikes from Jupiter himself. With every thundering blow to the ground the earth screamed and shook so much that even the earth goddess Terra must have trembled. The hearts of even my bravest veteran warriors melted in the face of such power and they ran from the field, dropping sword and shield and covering their ears as they fled.

*But that was not t

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 7/8)

After two days, the scouts had located several positions to the west which may have been tactically feasible as a fire base. Instead of ordering his XO to establish the fire base, Colonel Gabriel went out himself aboard an Osprey and a security squad of Marines to recon the potential sites. By the end of the third day, the last of the five sites which Gabriel surveyed turned out to be the best. It was located atop a relatively flat but rocky ridgeline south of Benevento where three major roads intersected with Naples to the west and Salerno to the south. His plan was to have his engineers use their dump trucks and bulldozers to build the road which would lead from the road up to the firebase. Meanwhile, he would air lift three of his six howitzers along with four of his eight 81mm mortars and a company of infantry for security to the top of the ridge where they would keep overwatch of the roads as well as the engineers who would be constructing the road to the firebase.

On the morning of the fourth day since their last encounter with the Roman Legions, the Marine security company and the mortars had been air lifted to the site of the new fire base and were given instructions to prepare the site for the arrival of the three howitzers. Meanwhile, the ground element of engineers, scouts, and a security element of LAV-25s and armored Humvees departed the air field for the new fire base over fifty miles away. Late in the morning, the Marine convoy was stopped as it travelled down a narrow road through a rocky hillside. In front of the lead scout vehicle lay a Roman soldier, his neck broken when the horse he was riding threw him.

The Roman soldier had been pushing his horse hard as they charged down the roadway. As they turned the corner of the hill side, they came face to face with one of the invader’s small dragons. The horse reared up in fear, tossing its rider, then sprinted up the embankment, disappearing into the field on the other side. The scout Marine slammed on the breaks of his armored Humvee as soon as the rider rounded the corner. He stood over the body of the dead Roman soldier, who looked to only be in his mid-teens.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” said the young Marine, a Private First Class by the name of Hedrick. He knelt over the young Roman soldier’s body “He came around the corner so fast. I didn’t see him in time.”

“Nothing

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 3/8)

By late afternoon, the 1st platoon recon patrolling to the east reported that they had what looked like several villages under observation, but that they seemed to have been uninhabited and abandoned recently. Ordered to proceed and investigate with caution, but with the same rules of engagement that none of the local population were to be engaged and if hostiles appear, the Marines were to retreat. Thirty minutes later, the recon platoon reported back to the TOC that all of the villages had been abandoned, seemingly in a very organized and deliberate matter. Colonel Gabriel ordered them to hold in place at one of the larger villages which contained a number of abandoned homes and buildings made of the same smooth white stone used to construct the roads. Using his map, Colonel Gabriel saw that the villages were north of what is modern day Melito de Porto Salvo, an area of grassy higher ground which then led down into the more traversable valley going north. It was a very strategic location for the ancient Romans for fishing and farming, and Gabriel wondered why it had been abandoned.

A while later, the recon platoons scouting north and northwest reported very little signs of habitation up on the rocky foothills and few places where the MEU vehicles could maneuver. Ordering his recon Marines hold in place and maintain observation, he ordered 1st platoon at Melito de Porto Salvo to secure the area and prepare for the MEU’s arrival, paying special attention to marking areas which the aircraft could land. Not wanting to move in the evening, Colonel Gabriel called his command and staff officers into his tent, informing them that he was going forward to assess the situation at Melito de Porto Salvo to see if it was a suitable site for the MEU. If he determined that it was, Gabriel informed his commanders that the MEU would be moving off the beaches at 1000 hours the next morning following breakfast. In the meantime, Gabriel admonished his combatant commanders to ensure that their equipment was serviceable and accountable and that their units be ready to move within 24 hours.

Normally, Gabriel would take a UH-1 Venom helicopter to do an aerial recon, but instead he traveled overland with his reconnaissance platoon to link up with the 1st platoon at Melito de Porto Salvo. Utilizing the recon platoon’s up armored Humvees to cover the short five

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 6/8)

With the Viper helicopter acting as the forward observer, the mortars fired a few adjustment rounds over the hill to mark the targets before finally dropping the Marine’s new non-lethal indirect fire munition, a round that disperses flash bang sub-munitions over a wide area to temporarily stun and daze people. The rounds fell amongst the charging Roman cavalry with devastating effect, terrifying both horse and riders. The concussive force of the munitions coupled with the ear shattering blast noise that accompanied it scattered the charging cavalry, horses rearing up in fear and tossing their riders to the ground. In minutes, the charge had fallen apart as the Abrams tank, now at the top of the hill, began belching smoke and fire. One by one, 120mm high explosive rounds smashed into the Roman trebuchets which the Viper pilot had mistakenly identified as catapults. The Roman soldiers and horses which had been struggling to bring their mighty weapons to bear against the invaders fled in terror as soon as the first two trebuchets had been smashed seemingly by the hand of the powerful dragon which stood upon the hill before them. It took only moments for the invaders to smash the Roman cavalry and heavy weapons, even though most of the invaders never even laid an eye on the Roman attackers. And despite the power of the invader’s which broke their attack and injured many Roman soldiers, not one of them had lost their lives.

Two hours later, the 13th MEU was on the south bank of the Basento River, two wide and well-built bridges capable of supporting the weight of Gabriel’s tanks spanning the water. And positioned in the rolling fields before the Marines stood formations of thousands of Roman soldiers. The Romans stood stoically, unit pennants flying in the breeze, almost defiantly daring the invaders to cross. Once again, the mortars were emplaced for firing while the artillery battery also unhooked from their trucks, their tubes facing almost straight up as the Romans were only two miles away. Gabriel had his tanks at the foot of the two bridges to provide fire support and arrayed his LAV-25s and AAVs prepared to cross the two bridges.

Imperial Legate Gaius Marius, commander of Legion XVI Gallica and the Legion VIII Macedonia, 10,000 soldiers in all, studied the invaders from his chariot. They

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 5/8)

The passage was barely wide enough to allow two tanks to travel abreast as they charged into the opening, one tank slightly ahead of the other. A squared formation of Roman soldiers had closed to 300 meters to the mouth of the choke point when the lead tank fired its coaxial machine gun into the front rank followed closely with the hollow WHOOSH of an antipersonnel round. A thousand tungsten steel balls screamed towards the Legion formation, devastating them as the lead tank burst through the other side followed closely by another tank behind it. The second tank immediately swung its turret to the right, firing an anti-personnel round into the second formation of Roman soldiers at close range, vaporizing nearly fifty of them in an instant. The third tank emerged a second later, traversing its turret to the left and firing another anti-personnel round at the Roman formation closing from that direction. The forth tank emerged from the gap, quickly joining the lead tank in firing round after round of anti-personnel shells into the masses of Roman soldiers who had advanced to close range. But instead of stopping to engage the Legion, the tanks roared on, crushing dozens of Roman soldiers under their treads as they carried their momentum to the second Roman Legion who had, as yet, not been engaged.

Ten LAV-25s emerged from the gap shortly afterwards, their 25mm chain guns ripping ugly holes into the Roman ranks still trying to valiantly reform after the punch which they had taken from the tanks. And though the Roman Legion far outnumbered the invaders, and had managed to rain thousands of arrows and slings against their terrible fire breathing dragon beasts, no weapon which the Romans possessed seemed to stop them. Even when one of the Legion’s few surviving ballista struck one of the invader’s dragons head on, it continued forwards as if it never felt the powerful blow and continued to spew forth fire and death. So terrible and ferocious was the initial assault that the valiant men of II Parthica faltered and fell back as yet another type of demon emerged from the gap, these fearsome dragons opening up their rear ends and spewing out dozens of the giant green and brown clad warrior invaders. And to add to the horror, two of the invader’s winged dragons had returned.

The first Harrier pulled up after dropping its payload of CBU cluster

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FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA TO THE SHORES OF ANCIENT ROME I:

THE EMPIRE VS. THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR (PART 2/8)

“Stand down, Marines!” yelled Colonel Gabriel, his gruff voice breaking the eerie quiet which seemed to envelope the scene. “Lower your weapons and stay frosty! We don’t have live rounds, anyway.”

“Fear not, my valiant warriors, for thou stand before the god of this land!” The being spoke to the Marines with a beautiful voice, its tone calming, almost hypnotic, and Chaplain Johnson could only describe the human shaped giant as glorious. It was a male figure with a chiseled and muscular chest barely hidden by a golden, flowing robe. The being’s legs were also very muscular and his feet were hidden under clouds of swirling smoke. The being, which called itself god, had a head which shined like the sun, flowing white hair wreathing in lightning framing a young and impossibly handsome face.

“Thou art safe here, my champions,” continued the being calling itself god. Chaplain Johnson realized that the being wasn’t speaking to them in the conventional term, but actually communicating with each Marine through its thoughts.

“My name is Solomon Gabriel, Colonel, United States Marine Corps!” yelled Colonel Gabriel. “I am the commander of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California!”

“I am aware of who thou art, Colonel Gabriel,” said the being, sounding somewhat annoyed at being interrupted. “Thou art the Legion Legate, a commanding officer of one of your history’s most elite warrior classes known as United States Marines.”

Colonel Gabriel put his hands on his hips as he looked up at the glowing deity on the hill. “You don’t need to be a god to know that!” he yelled.

The being laughed humorlessly. “Arrogant and fearless. I have chosen well. But have a care how you speak, Colonel Gabriel, for I am the god of this land and I shall brook no insubordination from my warriors, no matter how daring and bold!”

“Please don’t tell him that these aren’t his warriors,” thought Chaplain Gabriel. “Please don’t tell him that these warriors belong to the United States Marine Corps!”

Chaplain Johnson instead breathed a sigh of relief when Gabriel said instead, “Are you the one who brought me and MY Marines here? And where exactly is here?”

“Thou art upon the shores of Rhegium, which thou now call Reggio di Calabria,” said the being.

Chaplain Johnson gasped. “The Reggio di Calabria hasn’t been known

Question is basically the same as the title. I bought a military surplus MARPAT jacket because it matches the pattern my ILBE bugout bag and I'm one of those weirdly paranoid prepper-types who thinks I might end up hiding in the woods in case of some sort of societal breakdown. The pattern works pretty well in the woods near my place.

My need for professional help notwithstanding, I don't want to dishonor anyone's service or imply that I was misrepresenting myself as a Marine just by wearing a jacket when I go camping. I removed the insignia, name tape, etc. from the jacket, but noticed the Eagle, Globe and Anchor is embroidered on the breast pocket. Do people recommend actually covering up the breast pocket? Would doing so be *worse* somehow? Am I just really over-thinking things?

Please help, lol.

So I started off looking up old globes and world maps, not having much luck there I decided to try looking up globe/map tatoos. After scrolling down awhile I started seeing the USMC emblem, and what ive found is theres just as many pictures of this emblem with the Old Earth (South America being south of America) as there is with the Current Earth. Anyhow ill post some links here, but I really believe this is a "smoking gun" Also anyone wanting to talk alternate geography please don't hesitate to message me, as this is the one aspect of The Mandela Effect that I focus my research towards.

Wikipedia link with emblem of current earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle,_Globe,_and_Anchor

Heres one that looks abit closer to our Old Earth https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=BzBFa5fa&id=6FB77EC2DC4D5F878F25D29EB3AE5BED38002918&thid=OIP.BzBFa5favVSVJUtw-URz0AHaHy&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fapi.ning.com%2ffiles%2fr5HCV7gM-qtUByPXSa6zn0NghSBoQ9zm70hwUrBcXt423WjHEjDQ02hHaOrbQNRHMlx9TGmcFaTEkojb2BH8F6qFKQSf6nHZ%2fEagleGlobeandAnchor2.jpg&exph=992&expw=944&q=Eagle+Globe+and+Anchor&simid=608016618301948066&selectedIndex=30&ajaxhist=0

Heres the same emblem with Old Earth as a tatoo [https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=rZvn7P0%2f&id=45E18950CA701F3EC2C159D62BB888441B486C62&thid=OIP.rZvn7P0_ubBt91Os18IFkAHaHa&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2ftattoo-journal.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2015%2f08%2fUSMC-Tattoos_-45.jpg&exph=750&expw=750&q=Eagle+Globe+and+Anchor+tatoo&simid=608011713396606151&selectedIndex=72&ajaxhist=0](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=rZvn7P0%2f&id=45E18950CA701F3EC2C159D62BB888441B486C62&thid=OIP.rZvn7P0_ubBt91Os18IFkAHaHa&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2ftattoo-journal.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2015%2f08%2fUSMC-Tattoos_-45.jpg&exph=750&expw=750&q=Eagle+Globe+and+Anchor+tatoo&simid=608011713396606151&s

It's been awhile since I've decided to play around with Blender and I'm glad I've revisited it. I'd like to see how far I can get with the software. For now this is something I made (I know only 140 frames, but it's a good start imo) and it took me a bit as I was trying to remember how to do somethings as the last time I worked on Blender I still only really knew the basics. Well I hope y'all like it. I have both an mp4 version and a gif, but I'll leave y'all with the gif in case you'd like to save it. (Haha also learned a valuable lesson on how big avi files can get)

Semper Fi Do or Die!

Just as the title says.