US president – Page 5 – Quizology Online

What did you do in the war? | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy aboard the *PT-109*, Tulagi, Solomon Islands, South Pacific, 1943.
Image Wikipedia

One

Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd?

Answer: John F. Kennedy

On patrol the night of August 1–2, 1943, his boat was struck in the inky darkness by a Japanese destroyer. Two crew members died in the fiery collision, but eleven, one badly injured, clung to the hull until morning. Despite his own injuries, Kennedy managed to get all of them to shore and then secure their rescue, six days later, with the help of native islanders friendly to the Allies. For his courage and leadership, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart.

– The White House Historical Association

Two

Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna this Austrian-American actress later sued Warner Brothers ‘for almost using her name’ in Blazing Saddles. During World War II, she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes. Who is she?

Answer: Hedy Lamarr

During World War II, Hedy Lamarr co-invented a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes using spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology. However, this technology wasn’t used operationally until after the war. In 1974, Lamarr sued Warner Bros. for $10 million over the use of her name in the film Blazing Saddles which featured the character ‘Hedley Lamarr’. The case settled out of court for an apology.

Three

Drawing by Nicholas Volpe after Guinness won an Oscar in 1957 for his role in *The Bridge on the River Kwai*.
Image Wikipedia

During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?

Answer: Alec Guinness

Sir Alec Guinness played Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. During the Allied invasion of Sicily Guinness commanded a Landing Craft. Later, in the eastern Mediterranean theatre, he ferried supplies and agents to the Yugoslav partisans.

Four

Christopher Lee at the Women’s World Awards 2009 in Vienna, Austria. Image Wikipedia

At one time, he was known as Scaramanga, famous for his love of gold. However, later in life, his colour changed to white, fittingly, as Saruman the Wise. This title was appropriate considering his time in Royal Air Force Intelligence during World War II. Who is he?

Answer: Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee was Scaramanga in the Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
After volunteering for the Finnish Army during the Winter War, Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. His flying career was cut short due to optic nerve issues, leading him to intelligence work in North Africa and Italy. After the war, Lee worked with the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, tracking down Nazi war criminals.

Five

Official Navy portrait of Paul Newman, 1944-45.
Image Wikipedia

John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?

Answer: Paul Newman

Paul Newman was a police officer named Murphy who was stationed at Fort Apache: The Bronx. He was previously Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He served in the US Navy during World War II, initially as a radioman and tail gunner, later qualifying as a turret gunner in an Avenger torpedo bomber. His unit was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, but he and his crew were grounded due to a pilot’s earache, missing a kamikaze attack that killed several hundred crewmen.

What did you do in the war?

At 02:27 on 2 August 1943, the US Navy’s PT-109 was cut in two by a Japanese destroyer.

Today’s questions focus on individuals who gained recognition in other fields but had roles in World War II.

One

Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd, 1943.

Two

Three

During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?

Four

Five

John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

It Goes to Show | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

One

Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and Clara Bow in *Wings* (1927).
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?

Answer: Clara Bow

Clara Bow, known as ‘The It Girl’, was a prominent American actress during the silent film era and talkies. She retired from acting in 1933 after marrying and having two children.

Two

Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?

Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

In 1945, the Marquess of Ailsa gifted Culzean Castle to the National Trust for Scotland, offering the top floor to General Eisenhower as a token of appreciation for his role in World War II. Eisenhower visited the castle four times, including once as President, and affectionately called it his ‘Scottish White House’.

Dwight D. Eisenhower played Turnberry in 1959 while still president of the USA. Image BBC

Three

Space shuttle *Atlantis* lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle program.
Image NASA.

On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?

Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

In response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, President Eisenhower signed legislation in 1958 to establish NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), separating the US military and civil spaceflight programmes. NASA, succeeding NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), has led most of America’s space exploration programmes, including the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle.

Four

The track of the Armada around Britain.
Robert Adams, Augustine Rythe, 1590.
Image National Maritime Museum, London/Wikipedia

On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?

Answer: King Philip II (of Spain) and Queen Elizabeth I (of England)

The Spanish Armada, sent by King Philip II in 1588 to invade England and reinstate Catholicism, was commanded by Alonso de Guzmán and sailed from Lisbon. Despite reaching Calais, the Armada was defeated by the English fleet, which relied on artillery and faster ships. The Armada suffered losses from fire ships and the Battle of Gravelines, forcing it to retreat around Scotland and Ireland. The long and treacherous voyage back to Spain resulted in the loss of most of the Armada, with only 60 ships returning.

Five

Gandalf proves that Frodo’s Ring is the One Ring by throwing it into Frodo’s fireplace, revealing the hidden text of the Rhyme of the Rings. *The Fellowship of the Ring*.
Image Wikipedia

On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?

ANSWER: 1950s (1954)

The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, set in Middle-earth. The story follows the quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron, uniting a diverse group of characters including hobbits, a wizard, men, an elf, and a dwarf. The work, initially published in three volumes between 29 July 1954 and 20 October 1955, has become a literary classic, influencing the fantasy genre and inspiring numerous adaptations.

It Goes to Show

Today’s questions have a link to the 29 July.

One

Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and ? in *Wings* (1927).
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Two

Three

On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?

Four

Five

On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Miscellany II | Answers

Peanut (*Arachis hypogaea*)
Image Wikipedia

US President Jimmy Carter was a farmer, what type of farming was he involved in?
- Peanut—Jimmy Carter, the first US president born in a hospital, grew up in Plains, Georgia, and later Archery. He attended the US Naval Academy, graduating in 1946, and served in the Navy until 1953, including a stint in the nuclear submarine programme. After his father’s death, Carter returned to Georgia to take over the family peanut business, facing challenges but eventually becoming successful.
  
  Amazon, which has the greatest discharge of any river, discharging into the Atlantic Ocean.
  Image NASA/Wikipedia
What the second-largest river on earth by discharge?
- Ganges—is second at 43,950 m$^3$/s following the Amazon’s 224,000| m$^3$/s. The Yangtze comes fifth with 31,900 m$^3$/s and the Mississippi tenth at 21,300 m$^3$/s.
  
  Tomb of Merlin, Forest of Paimpont (Brocéliande).
  Image Wikipedia
Brittany’s Brocéliande Forest (aka Paimpont Forest) is the site of the tomb of which legendary magical figure?
- Merlin—The forest of Brocéliande, first mentioned in Chrétien de Troyes’s Arthurian romance, is associated with Merlin and Morgan le Fay in later works. Its exact location is debated, with theories placing it in Brittany, specifically near Quintin or in Paimpont forest, with the latter being considered most likely.
  
  Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, on Lunar Surface wearing an Omega Speedmaster.
  Image Wikipedia
In 1969, the first wrist watch to be worn on the Moon was manufactured by…
- Omega—Buzz Aldrin became the first person to wear a watch on the Moon, wearing the Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph. Although Neil Armstrong was the first to set foot on the Moon, he left his 105.012 Speedmaster inside the Lunar Module Eagle as a backup because the LM’s electronic timer had malfunctioned. Aldrin wore his Speedmaster, making it the first watch ever worn on the Moon.
  
  Marionette, is a puppet worked by strings.
  Image Pinterest.
A person who’s actions are controlled by another could be described as a …
- Quockerwodger—which is best described as follows:
  
  The term quockerwodger, although referring to a wooden toy figure which jerks its limbs about when pulled by a string, has been supplemented with a political meaning. A pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else, is now often termed a quockerwodger.
  — John Camden Hotten. A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words (1859)

Miscellany II

Here are a few questions which have no connections they are simply miscellany.

US President Jimmy Carter was a farmer, what type of farming was he involved in?
- Avocado
- Peanut
- Zucchini
What the second-largest river on earth by discharge?
- Ganges
- Mississippi
- Yangtze
Brittany’s Brocéliande Forest (aka Paimpont Forest) is the site of the tomb of which legendary magical figure?
- Circe
- Merlin
- Witch of Endor
In 1969, the first wrist watch to be worn on the Moon was manufactured by…
- Bulova
- Omega
- Rolex
A person who’s actions are controlled by another could be described as a …
- Quaalude
- Quillaja
- Quockerwodger

Ancient Greek Terracotta dolls.
National Archaeological Museum in Athens/Wikipedia

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How III | Answers

(Left to right, per Getty Image crediting): Ed Pollack, Albert Wynn, Thomas A. Dorsey, Ma Rainey, Dave Nelson and Gabriel Washington in 1923.
Image Wikipedia

Who, born 26 April 1886, in Columbus, Georgia, US; performed as Ma Rainey and was known as the “Mother of the blues”?
- Gertrude Pridgett—Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, the “Mother of the Blues”, was a pioneering blues singer who began her career in vaudeville. Her powerful voice and flamboyant performances helped popularise the blues, influencing generations of singers.
  
  Mount Ventoux.
  Image Wikipedia
What best describes Petrarch who climbed Mount Ventoux today in 1336 and, at some point, wrote about it?
- Poet—Francis Petrarch, a prominent scholar and poet of the early Italian Renaissance, climbed Mont Ventoux in 1336. Inspired by the climb and a reading of Saint Augustine’s “Confessions,” Petrarch reflected on the true nature of wonder, shifting his focus from the external world to the inner soul.
  
  The seal of the London Company, also known as the Charter of the Virginia Company of London.
  Image Wikipedia
When did the Virginia Company colonists make landfall at Cape Henry?
- 1607—The Virginia Company, chartered by [Britain’s] King James I in 1606, aimed to colonise America’s eastern coast and established the Jamestown Colony in Virginia. Despite initial challenges, John Rolfe’s introduction of sweeter tobacco strains from the Caribbean improved the company’s prospects. The company also founded America’s first legislature, the General Assembly, in 1619. However, it was dissolved in 1624 after the Great Massacre, leading to Virginia becoming a royal colony.
  
  Wreckage of Messerschmitt Bf 110D flown by Rudolf Hess, Bonnyton Moor, Scotland.
  Image Wikipedia
Where, during World War II, was senior Nazi Rudolf Hess—born today in 1894—captured?
- Scotland—Rudolf Hess, a German National Socialist and Adolf Hitler’s deputy, flew to Scotland in 1941 to negotiate a peace between Britain and Germany. His proposals were rejected by both the British government and Hitler, who accused him of “pacifist delusions”. After the war, Hess was tried at the Nuremberg trials, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He served his sentence at Spandau prison in Berlin, where he was the sole inmate from 1966 onwards.
  
  The Hull-Ottawa fire, 26 April 1900.
  Image Wikipedia
Why were thousands of people in Canada left without a home on this date in 1900?
- Fire—In 1900, a fire caused by a defective chimney in Hull, Quebec, spread to Ottawa, Ontario, destroying two-thirds of Hull and one-fifth of Ottawa. The fire, fuelled by wind and lumber, caused significant property damage and loss of life, with seven people being killed in the conflagration which displaced 15,000 people.
How did John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln, die?
- Gunshot—Following Lincoln’s assassination, John Wilkes Booth fled to southern Maryland, seeking refuge with Confederate sympathisers. After a failed attempt to cross the Potomac, Booth was shot and killed in a tobacco barn by Sergeant Boston Corbett.

“The killing of Booth, the assassin—the dying murderer drawn from the barn where he had taken refuge, on Garrett’s farm, near Port Royal, Va., April 26, 1865.” (*Frank Leslie’s Illustrated News*)
Image Wikipedia

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How III

A “Who, What, When, Where, Why and How” which all relate to today, 26 April.

Who, born 26 April 1886, in Columbus, Georgia, US; performed as Ma Rainey and was known as the “Mother of the blues”?
- Beatrice Rutledge
- Gertrude Pridgett
- Hortense Gwinnett
What best describes Petrarch, who climbed Mount Ventoux today in 1336 and, at some point, wrote about it?
- Poet
- Politician
- Pundit
When did the Virginia Company colonists make landfall at Cape Henry?
- 1557
- 1607
- 1657
Where, during World War II, was senior Nazi Rudolf Hess—born today in 1894—captured?
- Scotland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Why were twelve thousand people in Canada left without a home on this date in 1900?
- Avalanche
- Fire
- Flood
How did John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln, die?
- Hanging
- Gunshot
- Drowning

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Number Crunching

See #2 below. RMS *Titanic* departing Southampton on 10 April 1912. Wikipedia

Today’s post is all about today’s date, 14 April, and all the answers are numbers.

What two words are missing from this text regarding an April 14, 1881 gunfight: The ___ Dead in ___ Seconds Gunfight?
- Four and five
- Five and ten
- Six and fifteen.
In 1912, the British passenger liner RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic, causing it to begin sinking. Where was it when it struck the iceberg?
- 220 miles (350 km) south of Iceland
- 370 miles (600 km) southeast of Newfoundland
- 590 miles (950 km) northwest of the Azores.
  
  William Grover-Williams at the 1929 Monaco Grand Prix. Wikipedia
In motor racing, the inaugural Monaco Grand Prix took place on this date when a number of invited participants started the race. In what year did this inaugural race take place and how many drivers participated?
- 1923 and 10 drivers
- 1929 and 16 drivers
- 1934 and 12 drivers.
On 14 April 1865, Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC. What number President was Lincoln and how many days later was his assassin killed?
- 14th President and 17 days
- 15th President and 9 days
- 16th President and 12 days.
Today in 1986, the heaviest hailstones ever recorded fell on the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh, resulting in fatalities. How heavy were the individual hailstones and how many people died?
- 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) and 47 persons
- 0.75 kg (1.65 lb) and 64 persons
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) and 92 persons.
On this day, Mark Antony was defeated at the Battle of Forum Gallorum. This was some 13 years before his death, so when was the battle?
- 43 BCE
- 3CE
- 43 CE

Good luck! As usual, I will post answers later today.

Cream of the Crop | Answers

The Dirty Mac.
Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Mitch Mitchell and Keith Richards performing in the *Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus* in 1968.
(Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg in the foreground.)
Wikipedia

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below..

The Dirty Mac—The Dirty Mac, a supergroup featuring John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell, performed Yer Blues and Whole Lotta Yoko on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968. The special, featuring other notable acts, was not released until 1996.

Secret Service agents cover Press Secretary James Brady and the police officer Thomas Delahanty during the assassination attempt of Reagan.
Wikipedia

John Hinckley Jr. Wikipedia

Jodie Foster, 1989. Wikipedia
Jodie Foster—On 30 March 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot and wounded US President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C. Reagan underwent emergency surgery and recovered, while White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and D.C. police officer Thomas Delahanty were also injured. Driven by erotomania and an obsession with Jodie Foster, Hinckley attempted to assassinate the President to impress her. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent time in a psychiatric hospital until 2016, when he was released to the care of his mother and under supervision. He was granted an unconditional release in 2022.

Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia.
Wikipedia
Alexander II—In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The purchase, negotiated by Secretary of State William H. Seward, was ratified by the Senate in May and became effective in October. Despite initial scepticism, Alaska became a state in 1959.

Glamis Castle.
Wikipedia
Glamis Castle—Glamis Castle, in Angus, Scotland, is the ancestral home of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. It has been the Lyon family residence since the 14th century, and it holds significant historical importance as the childhood home of Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, better known as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Notably, it was also the birthplace of her youngest daughter, Princess Margaret in 1930.
Berwick-upon-Tweed—a border town between England and Scotland, changed hands 13 times before being surrendered to England in 1482. Its ramparts, originally built by Edward I and rebuilt by Elizabeth I, are in good repair.