Did you know American submarine crews used to drink torpedo fuel?
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A lucky American sailor sharing a more civilized drink (beer) with two soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force
(Photo: news.com.au)
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Never underestimate a sailor’s thirst! The much-maligned Mark 14 torpedoes used by U.S. submarines early in World War II used 180-proof grain alcohol for fuel. The Navy knew that sailors would be happy to get their hands on the booze, so it was laced with “pink lady,” a blend of dye and methanol, to render it undrinkable. Methanol is poisonous and can cause blindness, but ingenuous sailors started to strain the fuel through sieves made of compressed bread in an attempt to remove it. The system didn’t work quite as well as hoped, and several cases of blindness prompted the Navy to replace the methanol with far less perilous croton oil, which “only” caused excessive stomach pain and diarrhea. The sailors, in turn, stepped up their game by smuggling torpedo fuel off-boat to purify it in secret distilleries. Crewmen allegedly used pineapple juice to flavor the ethanol, which led to the birth of the modern-day drink called Torpedo Juice.
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The alcoholic beverage named after the drink the sailors made from pineapple juice and fuel
(Photo: lenn.co)
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$500 discount for the 80th anniversary D-Day celebrations and all our tours
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D-Day festivities in Normandy
(Photo: Author’s own)
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We'll be celebrating the 79th anniversary of D-Day, the historic Allied landings in Normandy, in only three weeks. On this occasion, you will get a discount of $500 on all our tours if you book and pay in full until June 6, 2023. In addition to the discount, this promotion includes also our available D-Day anniversary tours in 2024 (80th anniversary!) and 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to secure your seat for next year to enjoy the commemorations and festivities with the participation of veterans and reenactors. According to statistics, seats for the main D-Day anniversaries get sold out approximately a year before the event. So, book your tour as soon as possible because the most popular ones will be fully booked very soon. Note that this offer applies only in case of new bookings, and it cannot be combined with other special promotions. If you have any questions related to this promotion or our tours, feel free to contact our travel consultants.
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