WesWorld

Saturday, July 19th, 1930
Captain Byrd has reportedly joined the current Filipino expedition to the Antarctic aboard the Pacifica, boarding the ship during its recent stop in Honolulu. He would be the first American to visit the southern pole in the mission is a success. A Ford Tri-motor airplane was also loaded aboard the Pacifica while in port. Partially disassembled, it will be reassembled once the ship is in the Antarctic and will be used to attempt a flight to the pole.

Wednesday, October 1st, 1930
In what is arguably one of the most distant large-scale deployments of U.S. warships since before the Great War, twenty-two vessels are participating in this month’s SATSUMA naval exercises in the Far East. The battleship Tennessee is leading the fleet, which includes two other battleships, two light carriers, four cruisers, and thirteen destroyers. It is believed that the group will operate in conjunction with Filipino forces as has been the practice in previous exercises. A Navy spokesman responded to complaints from some in Congress about sending such a large force by saying “this represents a vital learning experience for our Navy which has not had to fight a battle in over three decades. All three SATSUMA nations have seen action both in the Great War and in the recent Filipino crisis and we can learn from their experiences so our Navy is ready if it is ever called upon to defend out nation. It also provides an important opportunity for our personnel to be exposed to other cultures and allows others to see the United States in action and shows that we wish to be good neighbors to the nations of the Pacific. It is also in our best interests to let the world know that the United States wishes to avoid conflict if at all possible, yet also demonstrate that if we must defend ourselves, we can be a formidable foe.”

Tennessee firing her 5" guns at night during the SATSUMA exercise

Thursday, November 5th, 1930
This weeks mid-term congressional elections yielded gains for Democrats and Socialists at the expense of Republicans. Democrats gained a slim majority in the Senate with fifty-one seats to the Republicans’ thirty-nine with six seats going to Socialist candidates. The House of Representatives is still sharply divided, with Democrats holding just under fifty percent. Republicans have just over forty-four percent, while Socialists have six percent. The relatively stable economy and lingering dissatisfaction with Republicans during the Coolidge years helped President Roosevelt’s party make its gains. The President is reported to be quite pleased with the results and its implications for his policy goals during the second half of his term in office. He has made it no secret that he wishes to see the Eighteenth Amendment repealed, and also wants the country to take a more active role in international issues such as the League of Nations. Republicans have vowed to continue to attempt to block those efforts despite their losses. The President’s supporters also help this week’s win will help efforts to get the North American Regional Cooperative Treaty ratified despite vocal opposition from some quarters.

Monday, December 15th, 1930
Over 100,000 people crowded into the massive Akron Airdock to celebrate a momentous day for the United States Navy as well as the people of Akron as the largest airship ever built was formally commissioned into service. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the vessel’s sponsor, was the guest of honor, joined by a host of Navy and Goodyear officials including Admiral Moffett, the Secretary of the Navy, and Goodyear-Zeppelin chairman Litchfield. After Mrs. Roosevelt officially named the ship “Akron”, forty-eight pigeons, each representing a state, were released from the great ship’s forward hatch while the ship’s crew filed on board to “bring the ship to life”. The Akron is scheduled to make her first flight just after the new year begins, making a series of test flights over the region before moving to Lakehurst sometime late in the winter. Her first captain, Lt. Commander Charles E. Rosendahl, called the new vessel “a revolution in naval aviation in this country. This great ship and her sisters that will follow will provide our fleet with an unmatched capacity to detect potential threats and defend our nation. It will also help lay the groundwork for a new era in international travel as lessons learned in her operation are transferred to the civilian airship field.” Preliminary work has already begun on her sister, to be named Macon. She is scheduled to be completed in late 1932. Any changes to her design brought about by experience with the Akron could conceivably delay her completion.

Dignitaries attending the ceremonies

I'll be interested to see just how long the Democrats stay in power here. Are we on track for a Democratic win in 32? Depends on how the next couple years go, I suppose...