HOW A WWII CAT SURVIVED 3 SHIP SINKINGS: THE STORY OF UNSINKABLE SAM
You’ve heard the saying, “Cats have nine lives,” and while there are countless tales of cats falling from trees or windows, one cat put this theory to the test, earning himself the name “Unsinkable Sam.” Sam’s original name was “Oscar,” and his legacy began aboard the Bismarck , one of the two first-class Nazi battleships in World War II. The Bismarck (with Sam) was launched on Feb. 14, 1939, and soon after engaged in battle with The Prince of Wales , an Allied battleship. The Nazi ship was severely damaged in this battle and ultimately sunk. Only 118 of the 2,200 crew members survived, plus Sam. The British destroyer HMS Cossack found Sam floating on a board hours later, and they promptly scooped him up and welcomed him aboard. Sam had officially switched sides to the Allied forces.
Now on the right side of history, Sam lived with the British crew for the next few months as they performed convoy escort duties — until a torpedo struck the HMS Cossack in October 1941, killing all 139 members aboard. Except for Sam. Once again, Sam clung to a wooden plank and floated safely to the nearby shore of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory. British service members who found him ashore put two and two together and realized the cat — the very one their fellow servicemen
to launch. But as Sam’s luck would have it, a torpedo struck the HMS Ark Royal just a month later, leaving him once again clinging to a floating plank near a boat launch back in Gibraltar. Luckily, Sam’s boating days were over, and he was honorably transferred to the position of “mouse hunter” in the building of the governor-general in Gibraltar. Eventually, the British restationed their favorite floating feline to a “home for sailors” in Belfast, where he lived for the rest of his days until his peaceful passing in 1955. Sam’s story may not officially prove cats have nine lives, but it makes at least three seem likely!
saved in 1939 — was the only survivor of HMS Cossack , earning
him the nickname “Unsinkable Sam.”
The group in Gibraltar was from the HMS Ark Royal crew, and of course, they loaded Sam aboard when it was time
*www.zmescience.com/feature- post/culture/bizarre-stories/ unsinkable-sam-cat-wwii
Train Your
BRAIN!
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
With summer over and fall here, pecans and honey reign supreme in this sweet chicken recipe. The honey provides a perfect caramelization while pecans pack on the crunch factor!
INGREDIENTS
• 2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts • 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 tbsp butter • 3 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder • 1/8 tsp black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; brown chicken on both sides. Cook covered until chicken is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. 3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pecans. Cook covered until chicken is glazed, about 2–3 minutes.
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