AND
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Albert Atkins – Belvidere, NJ; US Army, Korea, Co. E/2nd/187th RCT, KIA
Mary (Sweet) Brown (103) – Tauranga, NZ; WA Air Force # 2031332, WWII
Ronald Burditt – NV; US Army, Korea, communications
Jack Downhill – Rochester, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Lt.Col. (Ret. 28 y.)
Joseph Elliot – Los Angeles, CA; US Navy, WWII, Korea, Lt.Commander (Ret. 23 y.)
Richard Grimm – Athens, GA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 187/11th Airborne Division
Andrew McGarry (100) – Milton, OK; US Navy, WWII
Robert Newcomb (100) – Honolulu, HI; US Navy, WWII, PTO / Korea, Cmdr. (Ret. 20 y.)
Kenneth Reth – Racine, WI; US Army, WWII, ETO, tank battalion
Maurice Ritter – Cockeysville, MD; US Navy, WWII, USS Naukesa
Lones Wigger Jr. – Carter, MT; Vietnam, Lt.Colonel (Ret. 27 y.), Olympic Gold winner
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Click on images to enlarge.
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The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.
For 98 years, Americans have remembered those who served our country in uniform on 11 November – first as Armistice Day, and then, since 1954 as Veterans Day. In this 99th year of commemoration, the Department of Veterans Affairs is broadening that tradition of observance and appreciation to include both Veterans and Military Families for the entire month of November.
For more information on Veterans Month acitivtes in your area – check out the calendar below or visit your local VA facility.
Remembrance Day (sometimes known informally as Poppy Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth of Nations member states since the end of the First World War to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. Following a tradition inaugurated by King George V in 1919,[1] the day is also marked by war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries. Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November in most countries to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”, in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. (“At the 11th hour” refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am.)
Information here today is from the US Veteran’s Administration and Wikipedia.
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Albert Cheese – Hampstead, NC; USMC, 1st Sgt. (Ret. 20 y.)
Stephen Cribben – Rawlins, WY; US Army, Afghanistan, Sgt., 10th Special Forces Group, KIA
Norman Dyke – Warwickshire, ENG; RAF, WWII
Adrien Einertson – Camas, WA; US Navy, WWII
Jack Gustafson – Athabasca, CAN; RC Army, WWII, ETO
Edward Keane – Warwick, RI; US Army, 11th Airborne Division
Louis Manci – Scranton, PA; US Army, Korea, 187th ‘Rakkasans’
Charles O’Neill Jr. – Cleveland, OH; USMC, WWII, PTO
John Trudden – Broad Channel, NY; US Air Force, Korea
Tony Victor – Huntsville, AL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 gunner/radioman
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Sep 30
This gallery contains 7 photos.
Originally posted on John's Notes:
https://youtu.be/mrOzpI45e5U The Texas Military Forces Museum is located in Building 6 on Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. The street address of Camp Mabry is 2200 West 35th Street. A photo I.D. for all adults is required for entry onto Camp Mabry. In addition, Camp Mabry regulations require motorcycle riders to wear…
I like my olives sanded,
My pickles full of bugs;
I’m rustic: To be candid,
I shy from chairs and rugs.
The open field! The azure sky!
The fields of waving grain!
The piece of huckleberry pie
That’s bogged with sudden rain!
I understand the merits of
A cake that’s turned to goo;
For every bite I take and love
Mosquitoes give me two,
And naught I know can close compare
The taste of hardboiled eggs,
While bees make honey in my hair
And flies besiege my legs.
So “outdoor” is the word for me
Ah! – Give me trees to hack!
And then my first response will be
To give the damned things back.
– By M/Sgt. H. E. KELLENBERGER
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11th Airborne Division Chapel
When I’m flying at seven hundred
And the red light flickers on
I know I’ll tremble and start to sweat
But, God, let me be strong.
When I look down through the hole, God
It’s like I’m standing by a grave
And my knees go weak and I can’t speak
Then, God, please make me brave.
And if it be Thy will, God
Part of Thine own Great Plan
That my life should stop, then on that last long drop
Oh God, let me die a man!
While I’m waiting to emplane, God
And checking my jumping kit
Though I laugh and jeer I’m full of fear
But, God, don’t let me quit.
When the kite begins to move, God
And take off time is near
Then my heart grows cold – God, make me bold
And drive away my fear.
Desmond Le Pard, 17th Battalion Parachute Regiment @ 18 years old
Click on images to enlarge.
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Paratrooper School.
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Timothy Bowman – Ontario, CAN; Canadian Forces, Military Police, Capt. 1 Wing HQ, pilot
Edward Flora – Mishawaka, IN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, A/674th Arty/11th Airborne Division
Gilbert Grossinger – Kerhonkson, NY; US Army, WWII
Donald Hardcastle – Rochdale, ENG; RAF, WWII, radioman
Hugh Hefner – Chicago, IL; US Army, WWII, Infantry Clerk, military newspaper cartoons
Vincent Koravos – Lowell, MA; USMC; WWII, PTO, MAG-24 tail gunner
Ramon Laughter – Edna, TX; US Army, WWII & Korea, Colonel (Ret. 25 y.)
Kevin McCarthy – Brooklyn, NY; US Air Force, Flt. Surgeon
Geral Sheridon – Denver, CO; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Jon Vaccarino – Yorktown Heights, NY; US Army, Korea
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THE U.S. ARMY
U.S. Army uniforms through the years
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FLAG DAY Today is Flag Day, an annual observance of the Second Continental Congress’ official adoption of the stars and stripes in 1777. At the time, they “resolved that the flag of the 13 United States” be represented by 13 alternating red and white stripes and the union by 13 white stars in a blue field, “representing a new constellation.” Now, more than 200 years later and with an updated design, the flag is an American icon. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania is the only state to recognize it as a legal holiday.
U.S. Army Sergeant Joey Odoms’ audition to sing the National Anthem from Afghanistan. On 10 November 2016, he performed in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Dillion Baldridge – Youngsville, NC; US Army, Afghanistan, 101st Airborne Division, Cpl., KIA
William Bays- Barstow, CA; US Army, Afghanistan, 101st Airborne Division, Sgt., KIA
Eric Houck – Baltimore, MD; US Army, Afghanistan, 101st Airborne Division, Sgt., KIA
R. Patrick McGinley – Plainville, CT; US Army, 11th Airborne Division
Robert ‘Allen’ O’Berry – Kissimmee, FL; US Army, Sgt. (Ret. 20 yrs.)
Marcella Remery – W.Palm Beach, FL; US Army WAC
Harold Roland Jr. – Atlanta, GA; US Army, Korea, 82nd Airborne Division
Richard Stackhouse – Indianapolis, IN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, Lt., B-24 bombardier
Robert Wilke Sr. – Owens Cross Roads, AL; US Army, Vietnam, Lt.Colonel, Bronze Star, Purple Heart
Samuel Wilson – Rice, VA; WWII & Vietnam, ‘Merrill’s Marauders, Lt. General (Ret. 37 yrs.), Silver Star (2), Bronze Star (2)
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WHO DO YOU SAY THANK YOU TO?
Should you care to see Memorial Day posts from past years ____
Michael’s Tree – planted by Lavinia & Rick Ross in honor of my son, Michael USMC.
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Jacob Baboian – Watertown, MA; US Army, WWII, ETO
Thomas Coughlin – Portland, OR; US Army, WWII, Corps of Engineers
Lamar Day – Salt Lake City, UT; US Navy, WWWII, PTO, USS John Pope
Edward Flora – Mishawaka, IN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, A/674th Artillery/11th Airborne Division
Earle Garlinger – Roswell, NM; US Army Air Corps, WWII, (Ret. 21 years)
Harold Kline – Charlotte, NC; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, 737th/454/15th Air Force
James O’Leary – Manchester, NH; USMC, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cuban Missile Crisis
Michael Sadlo – Hollywood, FL; USMC, Pfc
Everett Smith – Broad Channel, NY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, HQ/187th/11th Airborne Division
Vartan Torosian – Pleasant Hill, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 188th/11th Airborne Division
Albert Washington Jr. – Midland, TX; USMC, WWII, PTO
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Memorial Day is to honor those that have left us after they served to guarantee us the freedoms we too often take for granted. I do not have the words – so I present Jay who wrote a poem that expresses what I feel.
Once upon a battlefield
I stood where heroes fell,
where brothers, sons and lovers paused
to hear death’s tolling knell.
Once upon an open sea
I sailed where deep remain
the bodies of courageous men
who, by war were sadly slain.
Once upon the azure blue
I drifted through the crimson cloud
where valiant fighters dealt with death
to die alone in sullen shroud.
I’ve felt the moments summoned.
I’ve seen the grave despair.
I’ve witnessed every breath so gained
and every soul laid bare.
I’ve shed a tear not meant for me,
but for the uncaressed
that ne’er again felt warmth of love
before their final rest.
To their souls my prayer,
my honor and my truth,
that they be blessed eternal,
and blessed in memory’s youth!
20 May 2017
The longest parade in the U.S. for Armed Forces Day is Chattanooga, Tennessee. Here’s what’s planned for this year’s extravaganza…….
Hamilton County and the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council will sponsor the 68th annual Armed Forces Day parade and luncheon on Friday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Chattanooga.
The parade highlights a different branch of service every year, with the Air Force featured on Friday. The parade will begin with a flyover of two F-16s piloted by Lt. Col. Dave Snodgrass and Maj. Gen. Richard Scobee.
A small peek at 2016
Scobee, son of Chattanooga resident June Scobee Rodgers, is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flight hours, including 248 combat hours. He is the 10th Air Force commander, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.
His command includes all fighter, bomber, special operations, rescue, airborne warning and control, fighter and bomber flying-training missions, combat air operations battle staff, remotely piloted aircraft, space and cyber units in the Air Force Reserve CommaTwo Air Force veterans will serve as parade marshals: Jack Rolfson, a WWII B-17 pilot, and Eugene Parrott, a fighter pilot in the Korean War.
Another special guest will be Lt. General Arnold W. Bunch Jr., military deputy for the Office of the Assistant Air Force Secretary for Acquisition at the Defense Department.
Gen. Richard Scobee June 10, 2014.
Lt. General Bunch
For more information, visit the parade’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/chattafparade/ or the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council at http://chattareaveterans.com.
Do you or your area have plans for the day?
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Branden Charters needs help with having flowers put on every veteran’s gravesite for Memorial Day. Find ways to help HERE.
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Our fellow blogger, Jacqui Murray, writer, teacher and mother of two currently active serving children in the military has now published her second novel, Twenty Four Days. Check it out HERE with a sample chapter!
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Paul Adams – Lincoln, NE; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, 332nd Fighter Group, pilot (Ret.)
Robert Atwater – Elmira, NY; US Navy, WWII, SeaBees
Marino DiChiara – brn: ITL; US Army, WWII
Barbara Grooters – Grand Rapids, MI; US Navy WAVES, WWII
David Herrington – Baxley, GA; US Army, WWII
Kermit Miller – Lehighton, PA; US Navy, WWII, Radarman 3rd Class
Bob Price Sr. – St Louis, MO; US Navy, WWII & Korea
Dewey Stephenson – Waterboro, ME; US Navy, WWII / US Army, Korea, 187th RCT
Daniel Stewart – Fort Wayne, IN; US Army, WWII
John Zilar – Denver, CO; US Air Force, machinist
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There is no need to wait until Memorial Day to put out your flag!! May is Military appreciation Month and I take a break in our Pacific War story to have each and every one of you have this information. I hope you enjoy this THANK YOU today for those that have served in the U.S. military, past and present, and to those of you who served in nations that have stood shoulder to shoulder with America
May is a special month for both those in and out of the military. For service members and veterans, it’s a chance to pay tribute to supportive families and spouses on Military Spouse Appreciation Day, and honor the memory of those who have sacrificed for this nation on Memorial Day. For the general public, the entire month provides an opportunity to say thanks to all those, past and present, who have contributed to the U.S. military.
Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999 to ensure the nation was given the opportunity to publicly demonstrate their appreciation for the sacrifices and successes made by our service members — past and present. Each year the president makes a proclamation, reminding Americans of the important role the U.S. Armed Forces have played in the history and development of our country. May was selected because it has the most days set aside for celebrating and commemorating our military’s achievements. In addition to the special days already mentioned, important dates for the military in May include Loyalty Day, which was established in 1921, Victory in Europe (VE) Day commemorating the end of WWII in Europe in 1945 and Armed Forces Day.
Many locations also celebrate a specific Military Appreciation Day. Although not a nationally recognized holiday, areas use the day to hold parties and picnics in honor of their local active duty, Guard, Reserve and military veteran communities. Local businesses may offer discounts, while local sports teams may give free entrance to military families and veterans.
Join Military.com this month in honoring, remembering, recognizing and appreciating those who have served and those now serving — read special features, and learn the history behind Military Appreciation Month. If you’re a service member, military family member and veteran, you can find out about major events taking place throughout the month, as well as important discounts being offered by companies in thanks for your military service
For more information please contact Military.com
Everett Smith; artwork courtesy of https://priorhouse,wordpress.com/
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Enlarge to read!
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David Altop – Salt Lake City, UT; USMC, WWII, PTO, radio operator
Louis Contos – San Pedro, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII
Robert Fraser – Toronto, CAN; RC Army, WWII, 48th Highlanders
Weston Lee – Bluffton, GA; US Army, Iraq, 1st Lt., 82nd Airborne Division, KIA
Michael Mantenuto – Holliston, MA; US Army, 1st Special Forces Group
Clifford Oberlander – Bismark, ND; US Navy, Flight Officer
Joshua Rodgers – Bloomington, IL; US Army, Afghanistan, 3/75th Ranger Regiment, Sgt., KIA
Frank Streather – Sydney AUS; RA Air Force, WWII, 452nd Squadron
Cameron Thomas – Kettering, OH; US Army, Afghanistan, 3/75th Ranger Regiment, Sgt., KIA
Russell Turner – Houston, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Division
Joseph Ventresca Sr. – Buffalo, NY; USMC, WWII, PTO
Sgt. Wes Brown & Isky
WASHINGTON — During a routine perimeter check in the desert of Afghanistan, Isky found a roadside bomb. He had come to a complete stop, sitting near the explosive device, patiently waiting for orders from his best friend, Army Sgt. Wess Brown.
The IED – buried two feet deep – was a 120-pound bomb. Isky, a German shepherd military working dog, had just saved countless lives.
For his service, he was honored on Capitol Hill – along with three other dogs – with the first-ever K-9 Medal of Courage. It is the nation’s highest honor for military dogs, acknowledging their extraordinary valor and service, awarded by the American Humane Association.
Isky found at least five deadly IEDs and 10 weapon caches as an explosive-detection dog deployed with Brown in July 2013. The two spent a year protecting U.S. political leaders, including President Barack Obama.
Isky and Brown were with 100th Military Working Dog Detachment and have been together since October 2011.
“After he came out of training from Lackland – he was about 18 months old – I was his first handler to certify with him,” Brown, now 27, said.
While most military working dogs can have two to seven handlers, Isky has only had one: Brown.
“I didn’t PCS,” Brown said. If he had, the dog would have gone to a new handler.
In May 2014, Isky’s military career came to an end.
“We were on a combat mission, one of many,” Brown said. “To avoid an ambush we had to get into the vehicles fairly quickly. While Isky was running up the stairs, I had a hold of him, but he fell off the side and broke his leg in six different spots.”
The leg had to be amputated.
“Once I knew he got injured and knew what was happening, as soon as his amputation was scheduled and his future with the Army was done,” Brown put in the paperwork to adopt him, he said.
Brown has been separated from Isky for only two weeks, and that was while Isky recovered. Even when Isky isn’t with him, Brown carries his picture.
These days, instead of searching for bombs, Isky suns himself on a porch in Virginia with Brown. He has become Brown’s PTSD service dog, and the two comfort each other.
“I have nightmares, I get night terrors stuff like that,” Brown said. “I’ll wake up, and he’s jumped up in bed with me. He kind of does the same thing. I’ll hear him have bad dreams and I’ll wake him up. For all I know he’s chasing a ball, but it sounds to me like he’s having a pretty rough time in some of these dreams. I’ll wake him up and he jumps right up in bed with me. And we both calm down.”
Brown has been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress, and has three crushed discs in his neck. He is currently waiting to be medically retired from the Army.
Isky hasn’t been trained as a PTSD dog. But his bond with Brown is strong enough that when Brown has an anxiety attack, Isky knows.
“When I look at him, I feel safe because of everything we did together in Afghanistan. If it wasn’t for him and doing what we did, there would be a lot more people unable to go home,” Brown said.
More than 200 Congressional staffers and 19 members of Congress attended the event to honor military working dogs. The other dogs who earned the Medal of Courage:
From “Stars and Stripes.”
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Civil War mascot memorial
Gunner – Canine air-raid early warning system during the bombing of Darwin in World War II.
Smitty - artwork by Priorhouse.wordpress.com/
Our Silent Observer
Jeep crossing
