Tribute to fallen soldiers.

[clamchucker]

Kentuckian killed in Vietnam 40 years ago is finally put to rest in Arlington

Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:34 am


WASHINGTON — It has been 40 years since Maj. John Lee McElroy's C-130 transport plane was shot down from the Kham Duo airstrip in the Quang Tin Province of Vietnam.

In that time, the Kentuckian's son, Russell, who was barely in his teens when his father died, has seen far more years than his father ever did. The major's daughters Linda and Mary, young girls when their father went to war, are married and have careers.

*
External Link Arlington National Cemetery

He has nine grandchildren that he'll never meet. And his wife, Regina, died several years ago without ever getting the chance to lay to rest her husband, who was from Eminence in Henry County.

But sometimes the ones we've lost come back ... even if in the most unexpected ways.

On a cold, gray Thursday, the McElroy family gathered at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington, D.C., to honor the Vietnam veteran whose body had been missing for nearly half a century but whose remains were recently recovered. It was a solemn affair and family members braced themselves against the winter chill as soldiers in dress uniforms honored a fallen comrade.

Behind them rows and rows of headstones dotted the winter landscape, stretching back as far as the eye could see.

"The last time I saw him he was flying out from Fayette County Airport in Lexington. He hugged me and said, Russell you need to take care of your mother and sisters," said Russell McElroy, who lives in Bowling Green.

The Air Force officer's last days were spent a world away in a place where the trees had exotic names and the air was hot and smelled of creosote.

American soldiers had spent several days defending their position, on a narrow grassy plain surrounded by rugged jungle, from a near-constant deluge of gunfire and grenade attacks. Officers decided to extract troops after the North Vietnamese Army launched an attack on the main compound. Napalm, cluster bomb units and 750-pound bombs were hurled into the final wire barriers, according to military records.

During the evacuation, panic ensued.

"As more infantry tried to clamber into the outbound planes, the outraged Special Forces staff convinced the Air Force to start loading civilians onboard a C-130, then watched as the civilians pushed children and weaker adults aside," records show.

The crew of that U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft included McElroy, the navigator; Maj. Bernard Bucher, pilot; Staff Sgt. Frank Hepler, flight engineer; 1st Lt. Steven Moreland, co-pilot; George Long, loadmaster; Capt. Warren Orr, passenger; and an undetermined number of Vietnamese civilians.

The North Vietnamese Army forces fired on the plane and it exploded in midair and crashed roughly a mile from camp. The plane burned quickly and was destroyed—save for a portion of the tail.

All crew and passengers were thought to be dead.

That was on a Sunday, Mother's Day. McElroy's wife and family members waited a day to tell his three young children that their father had died.

"For a long time, me and my sisters believed and hoped that this was just an accident and that my dad was alive. It took us a while to overcome that," Russell McElroy said.

Years later, a grief-stricken son pointed his new motorcycle eastward along the Blue Ridge Parkway and sped through icy evening rains toward Washington D.C. and a memorial wall where his father's name, along with thousands of others, is etched in the black granite.

"The next day was beautiful and it helped get my heart right to see my dad and all those other veterans," he said.

Gov. Steve Beshear ordered flags at all state office buildings lowered to half-staff on Thursday. As family members return to Kentucky, where their ancestors have lived for generations, where they last waved goodbye to their loved one, the McElroys take comfort in knowing that at last their father has come home.

Another account:

Servicemen MIA From Vietnam War are Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the group remains of six U.S. servicemen, missing from the Vietnam War, are soon to be buried with full military honors.
They are Maj. Bernard L. Bucher, of Eureka, Ill.; Maj. John L. McElroy, of Eminence, Ky.; 1st Lt. Stephen C. Moreland, of Los Angeles; and Staff Sgt. Frank M. Hepler, of Glenside, Pa., all U.S. Air Force. These men will be buried as a group on Dec. 18 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

Two other servicemen, who were individually identified in October 2007, are also represented in this group. They are Capt. Warren R. Orr Jr., U.S. Army, of Kewanee, Ill., and Airman 1st Class George W. Long, U.S. Air Force, of Medicine Lodge, Kan.
Representatives from the Air Force and the Army mortuary offices met with the next-of-kin of these men to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Air Force and the secretary of the Army.
On May 12, 1968, these men were on board a C-130 Hercules evacuating Vietnamese citizens from the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp near Da Nang, South Vietnam. While taking off, the crew reported taking heavy enemy ground fire. A forward air controller flying in the area reported seeing the plane explode in mid-air soon after leaving the runway.
In 1986 and 1991, U.S. officials received remains and identification tags from sources claiming they belonged to men from this incident. Scientific analysis revealed they were not American remains, but it was believed the Vietnamese sources knew where the crash site was located.
In 1993, a joint/U.S.-Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) team, led by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), traveled to Kham Duc and interviewed four local citizens concerning the incident. They led the team to the crash site and turned over remains and identification tags they had recovered in 1983 while looking for scrap metal. During this visit, the team recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage at the site. In 1994, another joint team excavated the crash site and recovered remains, pieces of life-support equipment, crew-related gear and personal effects.
JPAC scientists used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of the remains.



Although it's sad news, it's good to finally bring closure to these families. The guys from the Vietnam war do not always get the recognition they deserve.

[dogfish]

IRAQ: Slain Marines awarded Navy Cross

Two young Marines will be posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for stopping a terrorist attack on a Marine and Iraqi police outpost in Ramadi and saving dozens of lives, the Marine Corps announced today.
Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, 19, of Sag Harbor, N.Y., and Cpl. Jonathan Yale, 21, of Burkeville, Va., were standing guard on April 22 when a truck filled with 2,000 pounds of explosives barreled toward the outpost's main gate.
Haerter and Yale, following Marine training, fired at the truck. As the truck rolled to a stop, it exploded, killing the pair, demolishing a nearby mosque and house, and leaving a crater 20 feet in diameter and 5 feet deep.
Security film showed that the two Marines never flinched as they continued to fire at the truck, according to an investigation by the Marine Corps. "Both Marines were killed still firing their weapons," said Maj. Gen. John Kelly, the top Marine in Iraq.
Three Marines, eight Iraqi officers and 24 civilians -- all more than 100 yards from the blast -- were injured. An additional 50 Marines and dozens of Iraqi police officers, in a barracks farther from the gate, were unhurt.
"I have a son back home, and I know if that truck would've made it to where it was going -- I wouldn't be here today," Lance Cpl. Lawrence Tillery said after the attack. "Because of Lance Cpl. Haerter and Cpl. Yale, I will be able to see my son again. They gave me that opportunity."

Haerter was with the 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment; Yale with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment. Both were attached to Regimental Combat Team One from Camp Pendleton. Yale’s family said he was within weeks of coming home.
The Navy Cross is the nation's second highest award for bravery by Marines or sailors in combat. While there have been other Navy Cross awards during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the bravery of Haerter and Yale was unusual because it was captured on film and seen by numerous witnesses.
"For their dedication, they lost their lives," Kelly said at the Marine base in Al Asad. "Only two families had their hearts broken on April 22 rather than as many as 50. These families will never know how truly close they came to a knock on the door that night."
-- Tony Perry in Al Asad, Iraq

[DarkSkies]

This is a great thread, I found a link to a site that has stories of most of the fallen soldiers.
http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2007...u2526493.shtml



Also, great job for those who are still helping the ones who are alive, like Mike Nashif's program Take a Soldier Fishing. I'm registered on that site, any active military contact me in the spring or summer it you want to go fishing from the surf.

www.takeasoldierfishing.com

[jigfreak]

SFC Ron Wood - KIA - Operation Iraqi Freedom



My father and I visited the grave site of SFC Ronald Wood who was killed in Iraq on 16 July 2005. Ron and I served together in the same unit in Iraq. While clearing away the weeds and debris around the headstone, we discovered a dog tag left there by another soldier who deployed with us. So following in his steps I left one of my dog tags. Additionally, I left, as the first dog tag on the wire loop we constructed, a 'Warrior First' dog tag our unit created in memory of Ron and given to us the day of his memorial service in Iraq.

I invite others who visit this site to leave one of their dog tags as well, placing it behind the previous one, as a growing memorial to our friend Ron.


What follows below is a transcript of the email I sent home just days after Ron was killed. It portrays intimately the feelings of that time. Please read with respect.


22 July 2005
FOB Warrior
Kirkuk, Iraq

As most of you have heard by now, Saturday the 16th of July was a very tragic day for the Boys of Bravo Battery. SFC Ron Wood was killed by a roadside bomb called an IED (improvised Explosive Device). I had seen Ron and his crew just before their convoy left not over an hour previously. I was working in the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) when I overheard the radio traffic about a convoy being hit on the same route they were on. They were traveling with another unit so I wasn't in direct radio contact with them. I was able to determine they were stopped in the same area but not if they were involved.

My first thoughts were hopes for it to be just like previous times where an IED exploded but doesn't cause any casualties or just delivers minor damage to a vehicle. It soon became apparent, however, that this time would be different. There was a call for a MEDIVAC chopper and reports of three casualties. The term casualty is used generically for anyone injured or killed. By now the command leadership was all in the TOC monitoring the radio traffic for more details.

Within a few minutes the units on scene reported one KIA (Killed in Action) and two WIA's (Wounded in Action) and that Battle Roster numbers would follow. Battle Rosters are identification numbers assigned to every soldier. As they read the first Battle Roster number, two people wrote it down while I checked it against our list. As soon as they got it out, we knew SFC Wood had been killed. My heart sunk and we were all stunned with the realization our worst fear had just been realized. Two more Battle Rosters were read indicating SGT Chris Olsen and SPC Eric Lund.

Saturday night we had a chance to view Ron's remains during which the Chaplain offered words and prayer. A 'family' prayer from a fellow soldier and comments from the First Sergeant were also offered.

I feel the words of the 1SG brought comfort to many of us. SFC Wood was the epitome of what a soldier should be. Ron was more than just physically strong, he was well built, a result of years working out in the gym. He understood the Army and how it works, due in part to working full-time for the Guard, for how long I’m not sure. He had one previous deployment experience with the Triple Deuce when they were schedule to go to Iraq but ended up in Fort Lewis training ROTC. Ron was a gifted leader of soldiers, understanding how to motivate and lead in ways his men wanted to follow. They were loyal to him and would follow him anywhere. ISG Martinez said he lived his life by the Soldier’s Creed and gave his life defending that creed:

SOLDIER’S CREED

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an
expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy
the enemies of the United States of America in close combat. I am a
guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

1SG Martinez has a phrase he repeats so often it’s almost become our official slogan: Do The Right Thing! SFC Wood was a warrior who did the right thing. Even in his death, he was doing all the right things. In my opinion, as well as other’s, he was the very best soldier of Bravo Battery.

Sunday morning there was a 'ramp side' ceremony. This is where Ron's remains in a flag draped coffin were carried from the FLA (military ambulance) to the C-130 aircraft flown in to take him home. It's a formal ceremony which all available personnel attend; I estimate roughly a thousand Army and Air Force personnel were there. I had only been to one before, that for SPC French, a female soldier from Idaho belonging to the 145th Support Battalion in our 116th Brigade. It was very solemn and touching.

The ramp side ceremony for Ron was even more touching because he was one of ours. After a group of Bravo Battery soldiers retrieved Ron's casket from the FLA, the chaplain offer his first prayer. 'Present Arms' is sounded and we all salute as the casket is then carried between the ranks of soldiers and airmen and past the color guard to the waiting aircraft. The casket bearers stopped at the bottom of the aircraft ramp and the chaplain offered a final prayer, this time a reading of the 23rd Psalms. The casket is then walked onto the plane and the bearers offer a final salute then march off. The aircraft loadmaster formally accepted the remains and the ceremony was finished.

Then it was time to say goodbye. Not a word was said but we all followed as commander slowly walked to the tail of the aircraft, pausing to say a final goodbye to Ron. For a moment I stood to the side of him, my emotions overwhelmed as my eyes filled again with tears, and said my goodbye. I stood at attention, saluted, then moved away.

For the first two days we stood down all operations and patrols, using this down time to regroup and mourn the loss of our brother in arms. On Thursday a formal memorial service for Ron was held during which tributes were given, a final roll call for the soldier, a moment of silence, a 21-gun salute, the playing of Taps and the traditional empty boots, dog tags and an inverted rifle with a helmet on top to represented the fallen comrade.

Ron did not lose his life in vain. Our cause here is still just. History will look back on Operation Iraqi Freedom and judge it a major milestone in bringing peace to this region and an increase freedom from the terrorist intent on tormenting the United States. I am now more resolved to make sure my little part counts in hopes doing so will help Ron’s life to have not been lost in vain.

Since I have deployed to Iraq I have consistently worn a red band given me by the Brett and Zell Allred, the parents of Lance Cpl Michael Allred, a friend of mine from Cache Valley was killed in Falluja last September. The words “Life – Liberty – Freedom” are etched into the band as a constant reminder of what he died for and what I fight for. Yesterday after the service Ron, we were each given a single dog tag with the following on it:

WOOD RONALD T.
SFC
16 JULY 2005
WARRIOR FIRST

I will carry this in memory of SFC Ronald Wood who gave his life that each of us, along with the people of Iraq and America, may indeed have life full of liberty and freedom.

[clamchucker]

Another young fellow we lost recently. Thoughts and prayers to his family.



http://www.app.com/article/20090307/...NTPAGECAROUSEL
Family, friends honor fallen soldier

Soldier from Union Beach is laid to rest



Corporal Brian M. Connelly (Handout photo)



By CHRISTINA VEGA • COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU • March 7, 2009



Family, friends and loved ones of Corporal Brian M. Connelly paid their final
respects this morning during a memorial service and burial for the fallen soldier.


An overwhelming crowd of about 200 people attended the service at Day Funeral Home in Keyport to honor the Union Beach resident's memory. The procession continued to Forest Green Park Cemetery where Connelly was laid to rest with full
military honors.



"Indeed, no one has a better love than this, to lay one's life on the line for others. Brian has done just this," said Col. Mark Farnham, the Army chaplain who led the memorial service.

Connelly, a 26-year-old combat engineer with the Army, died Feb. 26 in Baghdad, Iraq, after his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. A 2000 graduate of Red Bank Regional High School, Connelly joined the Army in the fall of 2007.

"He was a rock to all of his friends," said Jules Wagner, a friend of Connelly's who gave a eulogy at the service.

Just hours before he was killed, Connelly told his wife of just five months, Kara Connelly, 23, that his tour was shortened by three months and he would return in May to Baumholder, Germany, where his battalion is based.

Connelly was slated to return home to the United States in January 2010.

[plugginpete]

This thread is amazing. What a wonderful tribute to the people who served their county and gave their lives.


Army Sgt. Daniel J. Thompson

24, of Madison, Wis.; was a member of the Individual Ready Reserve and was assigned to the 715th Military Police Company, Florida National Guard, Melbourne, Fla.; died Feb. 24 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Capt. Brian M. Bunting, Sgt. Schuyler B. Patch and Sgt. Scott B. Stream.





Soldier from Madison killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

PORTAGE, Wis. — A 24-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan loved cars, playing hockey and his motorcycle, his family said.
Army Sgt. Daniel James Thompson of Madison was the lead driver in a convoy when he was killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, said his mother, Lisa Thompson of Portage.
“I was proud of my baby. He never disappointed me. He always smiled. I’m very proud of him,” Lisa Thompson told the Portage Daily Register.
The Defense Department said Thursday three other soldiers, from Maryland, Oklahoma and Illinois, also died in the blast.
Thompson was a member of the Individual Ready Reserve assigned to the Florida National Guard’s 715th Military Police Company headquartered in Melbourne, the Pentagon said.
Thompson belonged to the Wisconsin National Guard until 2007, when he was placed on inactive status until he was called back for duty in Afghanistan with the Florida company, said Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, a Guard spokesman in Florida.
Thompson is the eighth soldier or Marine from Wisconsin to die in fighting in Afghanistan since a U.S.-led offensive ousted the Taliban regime in late 2001.

[ledhead36]

Though it is a sad reality that no one wants to see. Bush tried to hide the devastation by banning the press from fallen soldiers being transported home. By reporting this it gives the American people time to honor a man who defended their country.


'Dignified transfer' in front of the cameras: Welcome the fallen home with honor

Posted by Dan Murphy/ The Star-Ledger April 07, 2009 5:51AM

Categories: Policy Watch
Andrew Mills/The Star-LedgerDOVER, Del. -- A US Air Force 'Carry Team' remove the remains of Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers of Hopewell, Va., from an aircraft during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base. Myers was killed April 4 in Afghanistan, after being hit with an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense said.

The photos captured the solemnity of the moment: a fallen member of the service being returned to his country.
The body of Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers of Hopewell, Va., arrived Sunday night at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The flag-covered casket bearing his remains was taken from a cargo plane by a team of eight servicemen and women in a silent ceremony known simply as a "dignified transfer."

Before 1991, the return of the nation's war dead from overseas was often the subject of news coverage, but during the Persian Gulf War that year, President George H.W. Bush banned the media from these ceremonies. The stated intent was to protect the privacy of the families of those killed in action.


Grief is private, but death in the service of the nation is a loss shared by every citizen. For the media to bear witness on behalf of the public to the sacrifice of one of its service members honors that sacrifice and reminds us all of the human cost of war.
The sensitivities of the survivors have not been set aside. The new policy adopted earlier this year by Defense Secretary Robert Gates allows family members to decide whether the return of a loved one will be open to the media. Gates was right to put an end to the outright ban.

Since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the ban itself had become a political issue in the debate over the war and American foreign policy. To many, it seemed part of an effort to downplay the casualties and sanitize the public perception of U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) pushed unsuccessfully for legislation to lift what he called the "shroud of secrecy." The senator welcomed Gates' change of policy in February, saying: "We should honor -- not hide -- flag-draped coffins. They are a symbol of the respect, honor and dignity that our fallen heroes deserve."
Sunday night's transfer of the body of Myers was indeed conducted with dignity. About 30 members of the media were present to record the event, which took place in silence except for a prayer said by a chaplain. Under the military's ground rules, the journalists also were silent, and no camera flashes were used.
A second soldier's body had arrived on the same aircraft, but that family had not given permission for coverage, so its transfer was conducted without the media present, CNN reported.

The wishes of any family that chooses to decline coverage should be respected. To the family members of Sergeant Myers, we owe thanks for his service and for being allowed to share in grieving their loss.

[bababooey]

Though it is a sad reality that no one wants to see. Bush tried to hide the devastation by banning the press from fallen soldiers being transported home. By reporting this it gives the American people time to honor a man who defended their country.

I don't necessarily agree that Bush was conpletely responsible. He had a lot of military advisors helping him make that decision. However, I agree with full disclosure. We should be able to see those coffin pics of those kids who paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives.

[DarkSkies]

This soldier wasn't killed in action, he made it home. But he did get awarded a Purple Heart for saving the life of another soldier, and I wanted to put something up about him here.

His name was John Flue, and he died this week. He was no relation to me, but we kinda adopted his family, and got close to them over the years.

He got the Purple Heart at Heartbreak Ridge in Korea, when he pulled another soldier down into a foxhole to save him as they were being rained on by mortar fire. He saved that soldier's life by his quick thinking, and got his arm ripped up by the explosion as a result.

So they awarded him a Purple Heart, which sat home buried in his attic. He never bragged about it, and talked about it only if asked a specific question when people said they heard he got one. He was a very humble guy who thought nothing special of his service to our country. It's what guys did at the time, and in his mind he was no different that anyone else, just a job to do to keep us safe.

A little about Heartbreak Ridge:

The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was a month-long battle in the Korean War fought between September 13 and October 15, 1951. The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was one of several major engagements in an area known as "The Punchbowl", which served as an important Communist staging area. The United Nations first initiated limited operations to seize the high ground surrounding the Punchbowl in late July.
The battle site is located in the hills of North Korea a few miles north of the 38th parallel north (the prewar boundary between North and South Korea), near Chorwon.

Thanks for your service to our country, John. I'm glad I got to know you and your family. RIP, man.

[crosseyedbass]

Family, Friends Mourn Loss of Local Soldier Killed in Iraq
posted 05/15/09 4:36 pm

Family of Maryland Native Killed in Iraq Shooting Speaks Out



FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - A Virginia family is mourning a soldier, killed fighting in Iraq. Corporal Ryan McGhee was on his fourth deployment to a war zone when he died.

Corporal Ryan McGhee had known since he was a teenager that he wanted to be an Army Ranger. He was in his fourth tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan this week when his unit came under fire, claiming the life of the 21-year-old Virginian.

"The loss has been devastating for me and my family; never in a million years would I have thought this would happen," said Steven McGhee, Ryan's father.
"He was my best friend. I feel like I lost half of myself," said his brother, Zac.

Ryan graduated from Massaponax High School where he was a well-liked student who met the woman he was to marry during his sophomore year.

"I lost my soul mate. I don't know what else to say. He was my one and only, so it's been difficult for all of us," said Ashleigh Mitchell, Ryan's fiance.

Students at McGhee's high school in Fredericksburg were told Wednesday that he had died in the line of duty. The news hit faculty the hardest.

"He was always talking about he wanted to give back to the country; he wanted to do something for the country. He was such a proud American," said Joe Rodkey, the principal of Massaponax High School.

"Sometimes in death people can kind of embellish a little bit, but in this case it's not an embellishment at all, he was the genuine article," said his coach.

Today, the family is struggling with its emotions as it makes final arrangements. Family members hope Corporal Ryan McGhee will never be forgotten.

"He was a good man and a good son, and he will be deeply, deeply missed," added his father.

[DarkSkies]

I belatedly opened this. It came from Mike Nashif, who runs Operation "Take a Soldier Fishing".
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ead.php?t=1628

The Memorial day message coming from a veteran such as Mike, who was in the Operation Iraqui Freedom (OIF) conflict, was moving. So I thought I would post it here. Thanks for sending it, Mike!

Thanks to all the soldiers past and present, and Mike and his fellow soldiers. and their families for the sacrifices you have made for this country.



***********************


Here are some pictures that were given to me when I was in Iraq during OIF II back in 2004. They were inspirational then and I think they are inspirational now. They have stood the test of time a lot like the will of the American People despite war and things that should be considered acts of war.

Let us remember what today is about and remember those that have given their lives and paid the Ultimate Sacrifice for our country. I am not going to make this a long drawn out email because the only thing I would like for you to do is pick at least one person that you know that has given their life for our Country and say their name out loud in Remembrance.

In loving memory of SPC Charles Odums II – Combat Medic who died while on night patrol in SE Baghdad in 2004 by a roadside bomb. Father, Husband, soldier and friend.

In loving memory of SPC Raymond White – Cav Scout who died when his convoy was ambushed. He died squeezing the trigger in SE Baghdad in 2004 – Friend and soldier.

Please also take the time to remember all the people that lost their lives when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers. Feel the heat from the flames and smell the smoke from the fuel. Listen to the screams and taste the dust and ash. Don’t lose focus as to why we are at war with terrorists because they will always be there hiding and waiting cowardly in the shadows. Pretending to be something they are not and wishing they were something that they very well could possibly be…. FREE.

If you feel this worthy then pass it along otherwise just say the names you know out loud.

May you Rest In Peace as you are not Forgotten.

Freedom Isn’t Free

Thank you

[DarkSkies]

Are you proud to be an American? A friend sent this to me, thanks B!


YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP
>
>
>
>
> These thoughts tell us how the rest of the world thinks about us........
>
>
>
> When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell
> was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for
> Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.
>
> He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United
> States has sent many of its fine young men and women
> into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.
> The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return
> is enough to bury those that did not return."
>
> You could have heard a pin drop.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> There was a 20 conference in France where a number of
> international engineers were taking part, including French
> and American. During a break, one of the French engineers
> came back into the room saying "Have you heard the latestdumb stunt Bush
> has done?"
> "He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami
> victims."
> "What does he intend to do, bomb them?"
> A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our
> carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat
> several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply
> emergency electrical power to shor e facilities; they
> have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000
> people three meals a day , they can produce several
> thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each
> day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in
> transporting victims and injured to and from their flight
> deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does
> France have?"
>
> You could have heard a pin drop.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference
> that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian,
> Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception,
> he found himself standing with a large group of Officers
> that included personnel from most of those countries.
> Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped
> t heir drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that,
> whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn
> only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we
> always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking
> French?'
> Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe
> it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and
> Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'
>
> You could have heard a pin drop.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
>
> Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in
> Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to
> locate his passport in his carry on.
>
> 'You have been to France before, monsieur the
> customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he
> had been to France previously.
>
> Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.
> The American said, ''The last time I was here, I didn't
> have to show it.
>
> 'Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports
> on arrival in France !'
>
> The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard
> look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore
> at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country,
> I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport
> to.
>
> You could have heard a pin drop.
>
> If you are proud to be an American, pass this on!
>
> I am ,and I did.
>

[Pebbles]

Beautiful "Taps"

[DarkSkies]

Beautiful "Taps"

That is moving, Pebbles, she sounds like the notes are coming from her soul.

[DarkSkies]

One of our good members sent this to me and asked me to post it. If you were touched reading it, please consider sending it on to a friend.

I remember posting something like this a while ago, but I personally have forgotten to do this. It's always nice to have a reminder. Thanks, B.



Red Shirt

If the red shirt thing is new to you, read below how it went for a man...

Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but didn’t put two and two together.

After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.

No, he responded.
Heading out, I asked?

No. I'm escorting a soldier home.

Going to pick him up?

No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq , I'm taking him home to his family.

The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.

I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, “Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.”

Upon landing in Chicago , the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."

Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.

So here's a public Thank You to our military men and women for what they do so we can live the way we do.

Red Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that ... every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever.

The first thing a soldier says when asked, "What can we do to make things better for you?" is: "We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity by example and wear something red every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.

IF YOU DON’T -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON

[jigfreak]

[DarkSkies]

I understand that they feel they must defend and fight for what they believe is right, but in this case I feel they are dead wrong. Sent in by Fin, thanks!

God Bless all our soldiers.


If we don't continue to stand up for our rights, no one else will.....

I'm going to keep this going...


I AM HONORED TO DO THIS



Did you know that the ACLU has filed a suit to have all military cross-shaped headstones removed and another suit to end prayer from the military completely. They're making great progress. The Navy Chaplains can no longer mention Jesus' name in prayer thanks to the retched ACLU and our new administration.
I'm not breaking this one. If I get it a 1000 times, I'll forward it a 1000 times!

Let us pray...

Prayer chain for our Military... Don't break it!

Please send this on after a short prayer.. Prayer for our soldiers Don't break it!

Prayer:
'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands Protect them as they protect us Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'
Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.
There is nothing attached. Just send this to people in your address book. Do not let it stop with you. Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.

GOD BLESS YOU FOR PASSING IT ON!

[hookset]

This is a terrible tragety. So many good lives lost on our own turf.

By BRIAN SKOLOFF and ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writers Brian Skoloff And Angela K. Brown, Associated Press Writers – 49 mins ago

FORT HOOD, Texas – A chaplain exhorted hundreds of mourners gathered at a candlelight vigil to not give up hope as Fort Hood and its surrounding community looked to each other for comfort after an Army psychiatrist allegedly went on a deadly shooting spree at the military base.

A grief counseling center was set up Friday at the Killeen Community Center to help residents struggling to make sense of one of the worst mass shootings ever on a base in the United States. At least 13 people died and more than two dozen were wounded in the attack a day earlier.
The alleged gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was wounded and taken into custody after a gunfire exchange with two civilian police officers. At least 13 people died and more than two dozen were wounded.

Like other military installations nationwide, the bonds between Fort Hood and the town at its doorstep are tight. Town merchants depend on the soldiers who shop at their stores and eat at their restaurants. Locals show their appreciation and support for the troops, hoisting giant yellow ribbons and raising money for charities benefiting Fort Hood soldiers stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Most of our clientele are soldiers, so this affects everyone in the community," said James Carpenter, 34, a tattoo artist at Zombie Ink and a former soldier who had been stationed at Fort Hood before he left the Army in 2003. "Everyone is asking why and saying, `I can't believe he did that.'"

Witnesses said Hasan stood on a desk and began firing after walking into the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, where troops who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening. Those who weren't hit by direct fire were struck by rounds ricocheting off the desks and tile floor.
Officials say the gunman was stopped after two civilian police officers arrived on the scene and began a firefight with Hasan, who was hit four times including at least once in the torso.
Most of the shooting survivors remained hospitalized, many in intensive care. Hasan was transferred Friday to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, about 150 miles southwest of Fort Hood. Army officials late Friday gave no indication of his condition except to say he was "not able to converse."
Some who knew Hasan said he may have been struggling with a pending deployment to Afghanistan and faced pressure in his work with distressed soldiers, although authorities still did not have a motive.

Hasan's Palestinian uncle said his nephew loved America and wanted to serve his country.
Rafik Hamad, 64, told the Associated Press in El-Bireh in the West Bank that Hasan had been harassed by other soldiers because of his Muslim faith but that he was not angry.
Fort Hood spokesman Col. John Rossi said that the assailant fired more than 100 rounds and that his weapons were not military arms, but "privately owned weapons ... purchased locally."
Shock over the shootings persisted into Friday night, when hundreds attended a candlelight vigil in the first formal community gathering since the killings. Earlier in the day, a moment of silence was held at U.S. military installations as a show of respect for the victims, and 13 flag-draped coffins departed from Fort Hood for Dover Air Force Base and the military's mortuary based in Delaware.

At the vigil, husbands wrapped their arms around their wives, babies cried and old men in wheelchairs bowed their heads during the service at a post stadium.
The Army's chief chaplain, Douglas Carver, offered prayers and encouragement to those in attendance.
"Remember to keep breathing. ... Keep going," Carver told the crowd of several hundred, many dressed in fatigues and black berets.

The crowd sang "God Bless America" and "Amazing Grace" in the bleachers under the stadium lights. After about 20 minutes, the stadium went dark, the only light from camera flashes and surrounding buildings in the distance as candles were passed around the bleachers.


It was a tough night for Maj. Dan Walker, 34, who returned from Kuwait in June, his third deployment overseas.
"I've been to a lot of these in my career," Walker said as he walked through the dark parking lot after the service. "They definitely don't get any easier, and this one is probably one of the toughest ones just because it came so close to home.

"When you go to war, you expect it and understand it," he added. "But this is different. When you come home, you try to relax and live as normal a life as possible. You don't expect this."
Among the victims were Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago, who was pregnant and preparing to return home. Family members said Velez had recently returned from deployment in Iraq and had sought a lifelong career in the Army.
Pfc. Michael Pearson, 21, of the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, Ill., quit what he figured was a dead-end furniture company job to join the military about a year ago. Pearson's mother, Sheryll Pearson, said he joined the military because he was eager to serve his country and broaden his horizons.

Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis., joined the Army after the 2001 terrorist attacks and had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden, her mother, Jeri Krueger said. Amy Krueger arrived at Fort Hood on Tuesday and was scheduled to be sent to Afghanistan in December, her mother told the Herald Times Reporter of Manitowoc.
Michael Grant Cahill, a 62-year-old physician assistant, suffered a heart attack two weeks ago and returned to work at the base as a civilian employee after taking just one week off for recovery, said his daughter Keely Vanacker.
Cahill, of Cameron, Texas, helped treat soldiers returning from tours of duty or preparing for deployment. Often, Vanacker said, Cahill would walk young soldiers where they needed to go, just to make sure they got the right treatment. "He loved his patients, and his patients loved him," said Vanacker, 33, the oldest of Cahill's three adult children. "He just felt his job was important."

[DarkSkies]

Finchaser sent this to me. I'm falling behind in my e-mail so it took a while to post it. It has made the rounds before, but it's still a good one. Thanks Fin.

Freedom isn't free.












The Old Man...






As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about 25 feet away.






I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something.





The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.













I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'









He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.










The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us, he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.








When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'







He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal . He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood.. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.









He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed hadhis name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket.. We all shook hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.











One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.








For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name....... 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'


I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over.





I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.


Remember, OLD men like him gave you FREEDOM for America ... Thanks to those who served.....& those who supported them.





America is not at war.


The U.S. Military is at war.
America is at the Mall.

If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!





Remember, Freedom isn't "Free" -- thousands have paid the price so you can enjoy what you have today!








LET'S DO THIS -- JUST 19 WORDS





GOD OUR FATHER,





WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE


AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES AND ILLNESSES;



AND PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY FAMILY AND OUR FRIENDS AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM


IN JESUS ' NAME. AMEN








This prayer is so powerful. Pass this prayer to 12 people including me !

[voyager35]

Let's say thanks!

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html

If you go to this site above you can choose a card which will be sent to a member of the millitary.

Way Cool!