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Post by YellowRose on May 20, 2006 21:37:08 GMT -6
Here is a thread where everyone can be right and no one will be wrong. In honor of Memorial Day 2006 (May 29) and in the spirit of remembering the contributions of all veterans, I invite members of this board to acknowledge with your comments any “warrior(s) bold” (past or present) who inspired you and made an impact on your life in some way. I will start by acknowledging my spouse who flew his F-4 Phantom over the skies of North Vietnam and returned safely 200 times. He has proven true the fighter pilot axiom: “Bold pilots can be old pilots.” So on this Memorial Day, I salute him and other members of the Air Force 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Korat, Thailand, Nov 68- Nov 69. [glow=red,2,300] "High Flight"
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God. [/glow] by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Note: Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr. was an American serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in WWII. In August or September 1941, Pilot Officer Magee composed "High Flight" and sent a copy to his parents. On December 11, 1941 his Spitfire collided with another plane over England and Magee, only 19 years of age, crashed to his death. God Bless America! |
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Post by Diane Merkel on May 23, 2006 22:34:23 GMT -6
I wish to honor and remember the men of the Casper Platoon of the 173rd Airborne Brigade:  I am proud that my husband was one of them and returned home safely. Many did not. www.casperplatoon.com/(View in Internet Explorer. It doesn't display well in Firefox, but it's worth a visit just to hear the Huey!) |
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Post by bubbabod on May 23, 2006 23:16:34 GMT -6
A few years ago I read James Brady's book "Flags of our Fathers" about the flagraisers at Iwo Jima. I've always admired the Marines, but after reading Jim's book, I have an even more amount of respect for them.
A few years ago I saw the movie "Saving Private Ryan." Before then I had a great deal of respect for army soldiers. After seeing the depiction of the landing at Normandy, that admiration has grown tenfold.
A few years ago I saw the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers." What those men did under the leadership of Maj. Richard Winters was truly amazing. Maj. Winters was a true leader who led by example. The man should have been awarded the Medal of Honor. But he had the respect of all his men.
The WWII generation was truly our greatest generation. It's just a damned shame that, at least in my opinion, those men and women who assured our freedom aren't in the least appreciated by most of today's younger generation.
By singling out the WWII generation I don't mean to demean in any way our veterans of Viet Nam or any other wars. The Viet vets never got their just recognition for their sacrifices, those who died, were maimed, and those today living with emotional scars.
Due to my love of history and the examples I gave earlier, Memorial Day and Veterans Day truly means more to me than just a holiday off from work that it used to.
I say thank you to all of you who have served our country and those presently serving.
Okay, end of cornball statement. But I mean every word.
PS: Also, in retrospect, when I was in my teens and early twenties I served on the aircraft carriers Hancock and Ticonderoga as an enlisted man with the air wing. I worked in administration and worked with "my pilots." I can remember them flying their sorties over Viet Nam, and I can remember them being awarded their air medals for their actions. I truly never understood what they did until two of "my pilots" were shot down and killed. Well, one was shot down and killed and another was captured and was murdered while in captivity.
At the early age of 21, I finally understood the guts it took these Naval aviators to dodge SAMS, Migs and other problems. And my pilots flew unarmed photo reconnasaince F-8 Crusaders and were totally dependent on their two armed F-8 fighter escorts. I now salute them also.
And while I'm at it, my dad, while not a citizen of the US during WWII, was an officer in the merchant marines. He was commissioned as a Lt. Commander on merchant marine ships, tankers, dodging U-boats in the Atlantic. My daddy was truly a man among men. Yeah, I'm 59 now, going to be 60 shortly, but he was my daddy.
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Post by fred on May 24, 2006 17:47:12 GMT -6
General William E. Depuy
Lt. Gen. James Hollingsworth
General George A. Joulwan
I served w/ them all & one was my friend. They were the best of the best. And less I forget him, Major Geoffrey Becton Templeton, my dearest friend.
FCWIII
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Post by markland on May 24, 2006 18:15:30 GMT -6
Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will comfort you
Lay your burden down
CSNY |
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Post by Lawtonka on May 24, 2006 18:58:49 GMT -6
I wish to say "Thank You" to all that have served to protect our freedom. My own Father was a career soldier. He enlisted on Valentines Day 1950 and was soon on his way to serve in the 15th Battalion Field Artillery with the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. He told me he was supposed to be a tanker but after leaving Fort Knox, KY and arriving in Ft Lewis, Washington, he was pulled to served on a 105mm howitzer crew, and at that time he said he did not even know what one looked like. A few weeks later he landed in Korea and had it not been for frostbite in his feet, he might have been among the dead or captured when the Division was overrun by Chinese. He was in the hospital and returned to the field just in time to help identify the frozen bodies of his outfit. During the TET Offensive, he was once again in a combat zone at Chu Lai, South Vietnam. During a rocket attack he was wounded by shrapnel in the left arm. He has one Purple Heart from each event. In January 1972, I joined the Marine Corps. Many of my fellow "Boots" were tagged with the MOS 0311 (basic infantryman0leaving Parris Island were soon on their way to Viet Nam, following Individual Combat Training at Camp Lejeune. I served my hitch as a 4312 (Press Information Man) at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va. I was spared from combat during my tour of duty, but I served among many who bore the physical and emotional scars from Viet Nam. I have a very good friend here in South Carolina, one Sergeant Alber Karst, USMC Ret., a veteran of Guadal Canal. He is an Icon to me and I will never forget the stories he has shared with me about his experiences in the South Pacific during WWII. There are many great books to read, but I do especially like the one Bubbabod mentioned, Flags of Our Fathers. At the time I was stationed at Quantico, Joe Rosenthal, the photographer of the first flag raising at Iwo Jima, was working for Leatherneck Magazine there at the base. So, I Salute all of you who have endured the hardships of a combat zone. None of us should take our freedom lightly. It is blood bought. Semper Fi ! Tim  A little on the light side. My Dad is the driver in the jeep. This was taken when he was in Germany in 1954.  Here is another shot of him while in Viet Nam , '68. |
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Post by fred on May 24, 2006 19:43:15 GMT -6
During the TET Offensive, he was once again in a combat zone at Chu Lai, South Vietnam. Tim-- 25th Infantry Division? "Tropic Lightning"? Best wishes, Fred. |
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Post by fred on May 24, 2006 19:45:29 GMT -6
Whoops! Sorry, Tim. I was thinking of Cu Chi.
Sorry.
Best wishes,
Fred.
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shawn
Junior Member
My sons and I...Reno Hill June 26th 2006
Posts: 98
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Post by shawn on May 24, 2006 22:15:01 GMT -6
Heres to my grandfather, John Beehler (WWII, Pacific)...great uncle, Glen Harris (WWII, Europe)...father, Fred Weibert (Vietnam)...thanks
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Post by crzhrs on May 25, 2006 7:59:32 GMT -6
My father served during WWII in the Phillipines . . . very nasty fighting there. He never spoke much about it . . . just little bits and pieces . . . he did say the Phillipine women were "nice"
I think most veterans of WWII did not like speaking much about what they experienced . . . my father was very stoic, rarely showed much emotion, but was a good dad.
He passed away in 2004 at 85 . . . darn he just missed the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series.
A little irony . . . my father was born in 1918 the last year the BoSox won a World Series and died the year they won it! My father must have been watching the games from where ever he was!
Thanks Dad!
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Post by Tricia on May 25, 2006 8:36:20 GMT -6
Chief Joseph, Nez Perce.
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Post by crzhrs on May 25, 2006 9:08:52 GMT -6
When talking about Memorial Day in this country we should also include the Indians who were also fighting for their country and way of life . . .
Let's all hope that some day SOON we realize war of any kind is bad . . . and we, as humans, better get it . . . real soon!
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Post by markland on May 26, 2006 7:23:34 GMT -6
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Post by Diane Merkel on May 26, 2006 11:03:53 GMT -6
How tragic, Billy. What was his relationship to you?
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Post by Scout on May 26, 2006 14:46:46 GMT -6
Here's a toast to Dr. Chuck...Yellowrose's husband...Lawtonka's father....John Beehler...crzhrs's father....and my dad and all others that have a veteran in the family. God Bless all! They are the backbone of this country!!!
Mike
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