Showing posts with label Protecting America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Protecting America. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Larwyn's Links

 
* The Anchoress has a sobering gut-check for primary watchers. Caution: graphic photos -- an air-sickness bag is highly recommended.

* Atlas highlights Iran's latest attempts to kill Americans. I wonder how many more Americans have to die at the hands of Iran's assassins before a President gets really, really, really p***ed off.

* AJ Strata says that, after their initial investigation, Scotland Yard believes Benazir Bhutto was capped by Al Qaeda. Apparently they've ruled out Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar al-Islam, Abu Sayyaf, Islamic Jihad, Jemaah Islamiyah, Fatah and Darul Islam.

* The Belmont Club is warning servicemen and women that use Facebook about a serious threat. Al Qaeda is reportedly mining the social network for personal details of U.S. military personnel.

* Jammie Wearing Fool reminds us that only 24 hours remain to ask questions of Ayman al-Zawahiri during his web chat. JWF suggests several candidate questions, such as 'is Britney Spears really converting to Islam' and 'are Ron Paul's supporters are driving you as crazy as the rest of us?'

* Bizarre search o' the day: someone navigated to this august journal using a Google search for "dog urinating on hillary". Don't bother clicking on the link, there's no story there. In fact, there's no story of that ilk anywhere. So you've just got to wonder about some folks. And, no, I don't have any proof that it was a Ron Paul supporter -- just a queasy hunch.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Here she is, USS New York, made from the World Trade Center!

 
Brian sends along this email:

It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.

It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

Later ships in the class will include USS Arlington, the location of the Pentagon, also struck by a hijacked jetliner on Sept. 11, and USS Somerset, named for the Pennsylvania county where United Flight 93 crashed after its passengers fought off hijackers apparently planning to attack another Washington target.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, 'those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,' recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. 'It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.'

Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the 'hair on my neck stood up.' 'It had a big meaning to it for all of us,' he said. 'They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back.'

The ship's motto? 'Never Forget'.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Andrew Olmsted, Rest In Peace

 
Milblogger Andrew Olmsted was killed yesterday during an ambush in Iraq. He had a blog post prepared for just such an event.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." --Plato

"And maybe now it's your turn... To die kicking some ass." --Freedom Isn't Free, Team America

What I don't want this to be is a chance for me, or anyone else, to be maudlin. I'm dead. That sucks, at least for me and my family and friends. But all the tears in the world aren't going to bring me back, so I would prefer that people remember the good things about me rather than mourning my loss. (If it turns out a specific number of tears will, in fact, bring me back to life, then by all means, break out the onions.) I had a pretty good life, as I noted above. Sure, all things being equal I would have preferred to have more time, but I have no business complaining with all the good fortune I've enjoyed in my life. So if you're up for that, put on a little 80s music (preferably vintage 1980-1984), grab a Coke and have a drink with me. If you have it, throw 'Freedom Isn't Free' from the Team America soundtrack in; if you can't laugh at that song, I think you need to lighten up a little. I'm dead, but if you're reading this, you're not, so take a moment to enjoy that happy fact...

Please read it all.

Dan Riehl and the Weekly Standard have more.

Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by. That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

American Digest: How Beautiful We Were

 
Van der Leun, writing at American Digest.

A short list. In no particular order.

We had car shows, boat shows, beauty shows and dog shows.

We ran robots on the surface of Mars by remote control.

Our women came from all over the world in all shapes and sizes hues and scents.

We actually believed that all men are created equal and tried to make it come true.

Everybody liked our movies and loved our television shows.

We tried to educate everybody, whether they wanted it or not. Sometimes we succeeded.

We did Levis.

We held the torch high and hundreds of millions came. No matter what the cost.

We saved Europe twice and liberated it once.

We believed so deeply and so abidingly in free speech that we protected and even honored and in some cases even elected traitors.

We let you be as freaky as you wanted to be.

We paid you not to plant crops and not to work.

We died in the hundreds of thousands to end slavery here and around the world.

We invented Jazz.

We wrote the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Gettysberg address.

We went to the moon to see how far we could hit a golf ball...

Read the rest of this beautiful piece at American Digest.

Hat tip: Larwyn

Monday, December 24, 2007

Battle of the Bulge Memories, Emotions Live On

 
Ray Johnson of the U.S. Army Public Affairs Office:

BASTOGNE, Belgium, Dec. 21, 2007 - Standing next to the killing field where he once found himself face-down in the snow surrounded by the dead and dying, Ted Paluch said his return wasn't as emotional as it once was, especially having visited three other times.

His resiliency and composure quickly crumbled, though, when asked to honor 84 U.S. soldiers murdered near Malmedy, Belgium, in World War II.

As the 85-year-old from Philadelphia gingerly stepped on the frozen turf -- the ground as hard as it was 63 years ago when he served with 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion -- Paluch's eyes brimmed with tears. Clutching a wreath and almost whispering to himself, he said: "One of my guys was found here, in this exact spot. I wish he was standing next to me now instead."

Similar sentiments were heard 50 miles away in Bastogne, a Belgian city forever linked with the massive World War II campaign officially tagged Battle of Ardennes, but better known as the Battle of the Bulge.

Invited to the dedication of the Baugnex 44 Historical Center, a museum that recounts American prisoners of war being executed in 1944 by a German SS Panzer unit, Paluch was one of several hundred veterans and current soldiers who commemorated Battle of the Bulge ceremonies Dec. 15-17.

The 30th Bastogne Historic Walk, which paid tribute to 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, kicked off three days of remembrance. Roughly 3,000 participants, including 900 U.S. servicemembers, marched along the outskirts of Bastogne and through the villages of Hemroulle, Champs and Longchamps, where the "Five-Oh-Deuce" fought and bled.

Following a narrow road reduced to muck in places, marchers went past grasslands and thick forests. It is here where great tank battles took place in the open, while hand-to-hand combat spilled from one foxhole to another.

Carl Dalke, 82, who served with the 101st Airborne Division's 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, recalls the first 24 hours of the fight as being the toughest, with his unit surrounded and trapped in arctic-like conditions. He labeled it "gut wrenching," especially when his best friend died -- one of 19,000 Americans killed, along with another almost 60,000 injured.

"But at no time did we ever think that we would lose, ... even though we were outnumbered seven to one," said Dalke, outfitted in 1940s-era military clothing and sporting several rows of medals, including a Bronze Star.

At a small memorial hugging the road, Dalke, like Paluch, laid a wreath to personally recognize those who didn't survive the costly monthlong struggle.

Along the walk, marchers passed by several such memorials and realistic scenes of uniformed reenactors digging foxholes, stealing through the woods, manning crossroads and driving authentic vehicles of that era. Adding to the setting were 22 parachutists jumping from a C-47 Dakota transporter.

Later in the day, a formal wreath-laying ceremony was held in Bastogne's McAuliffe Square, named after Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe, who famously replied "Nuts!" when asked to surrender by the Germans. Prior to the ceremony, the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Honor Guard led a parade formed by dignitaries, beret-wearing veterans, Belgian troops, and soldiers from USAG Benelux and USAG Brussels. Also included in the mix were school-age children carrying flags of every U.S. state.

The procession, with a sidewalk-lined crowd tagging along, made its way from downtown to a small park and monument dedicated to Gen. George S. Patton, commander of the 3rd Army, which relieved besieged 101st Airborne Division forces. Afterward, the parade returned to McAuliffe Square, where U.S. and Belgian officials, military leaders and Battle of the Bulge survivors remembered those who fell.

Army Col. James Drago, commander of USAG Benelux, joined Marcel D'Haese, of the Belgian 5th Fusiliers, which fought alongside the Allies, in presenting a wreath. Drago, a veteran of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, called the moment "truly amazing."

"The amount of energy that the Bastogne community expends to show their heartfelt appreciation each year reminds us all of the awesome sacrifices our soldiers made in that cold winter of 1944-1945," the colonel said. "Knowing that people from around the world participate in such large numbers annually confirms just how important these sacrifices were."

Special thanks to the Sergeant and the American Forces Press Service.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Military prepares for Democratic budget cuts

 
Over the course of his eight years in the White House, while terrorists relentlessly attacked the United States and its allies, Bill Clinton slashed the country's defense and intelligence budgets.

The military is preparing for a possible second Clinton administration by testing several new weapons systems that fit into a typical Democratic military budget (via Thomas Lifson).





In addition, there are rumors that the DOD is close to a deal to acquire over a dozen terrifying Johnny Seven "One Man Army" weapons.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

For all my Marine friends

 
Our families thank you for your service. And I echo the the Sergeant's sentiments: may this holiday season find you with your family, well and happy!

If you don't understand this illustration, you've never met a Marine!






Images courtesy of the Sergeant

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Miss Utah awarded Combat Medic Badge

 
Gateway Pundit notes that Miss Utah Jill Stevens was awarded the Combat Medic Badge.

Miss Utah Jill Stevens appears on the cover of Soldiers Magazine's December 2007 issue.

SGT Jill Stevens is a recent graduate of Southern Utah University with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, 12 marathons under her belt, six years as a combat medic in the Utah National Guard, and she’s just applied for a direct commission to become an Army nurse... Miss Utah Jill Stevens was also awarded the Army Combat Medic Badge... JacketIM explained the significance of her awards:

...In the Army, the CMB, along with the CIB (Combat Infantry Badge), is considered to be the most prestigious award available, and is worn on the uniform above all other badges and awards, including the Medal of Honor.

I commanded an Army Medevac Unit and have the highest regard for Army (and for that matter, Navy, Marine, and Air Force) medics. As a group, their dedication to duty, bravery, and skill in saving the lives of their fellow soldiers is simply unmatched. The fact that she wears a CMB is proof that she has served as a medic in an infantry unit while under enemy fire. She is a hero.

And Miss Utah's by no means the only one.

The NFL Cheerleader Blog's Wearing Two Uniforms article has plenty of information on professional cheerleaders who combine beauty, brawn and brains in service of our country.

Of the cheerleaders, I do have to highlight Rachel, one of my oldest daughter's best friends. She is not only a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader, but is also a full-time college student and a US Army ROTC Cadet hoping to serve as an active duty specialist in intelligence.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Sermon on Iwo Jima

 
If this message from the Sergeant doesn't send chills down your spine and bring a tear to your eye, well, you may not be human.

An interesting fact that many of you may be unaware of is the historic events that surrounded a Jewish chaplain on [Iwo Jima, where of 70,000 American Marines, 1,500 were Jewish].

Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn, assigned to the Fifth Marine Division, was the first Jewish chaplain the Marine Corps ever appointed. Rabbi Gittelsohn was in the thick of the fray, ministering to Marines of all faiths in the combat zone. His tireless efforts to comfort the wounded and encourage the fearful won him three service ribbons. When the fighting was over, Rabbi Gittelsohn was asked to deliver the memorial sermon at a combined religious service dedicating the Marine Cemetery.

Unfortunately, racial and religious prejudice led to problems with the ceremony. What happened next immortalized Rabbi Gittelsohn and his sermon forever.

It was Division Chaplain Warren Cuthriell, a Protestant minister, who originally asked Rabbi Gittelsohn to deliver the memorial sermon. Cuthriel wanted all the fallen Marines (black and white, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish) honored in a single, nondenominational ceremony. However, according to Rabbi Gittelsohn's autobiography, the majority of Christian chaplains objected to having a rabbi preach over predominantly Christian graves...

To his credit, Cuthriell refused to alter his plans. Gittelsohn, on the other hand, wanted to save his friend Cuthriell further embarrassment and so decided it was best not to deliver his sermon. Instead, three separate religious services were held. At the Jewish service, to a congregation of 70 or so who attended, Rabbi Gittelsohn delivered the powerful eulogy he originally wrote for the combined service:

Here lie men who loved America because their ancestors generations ago helped in her founding. And other men who loved her with equal passion because they themselves or their own fathers escaped from oppression to her blessed shores. Here lie officers and men, Negroes and Whites, rich men and poor, together. Here are Protestants, Catholics, and Jews together. Here no man prefers another because of his faith or despises him because of his color. Here there are no quotas of how many from each group are admitted or allowed.

Among these men there is no discrimination. No prejudices. No hatred. Theirs is the highest and purest democracy! Whosoever of us lifts his hand in hate against a brother, or who thinks himself superior to those who happen to be in the minority, makes of this ceremony and the bloody sacrifice it commemorates, an empty, hollow mockery. To this then, as our solemn sacred duty, do we the living now dedicate ourselves: To the right of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, of White men and Negroes alike, to enjoy the democracy for which all of them have here paid the price.

We here solemnly swear this shall not be in vain. Out of this and from the suffering and sorrow of those who mourn this, will come, we promise, the birth of a new freedom for the sons of men everywhere.

Among Gittelsohn's listeners were three Protestant chaplains so incensed by the prejudice voiced by their colleagues that they boycotted their own service to attend Gittelsohn's. One of them borrowed the manuscript and, unknown to Gittelsohn, circulated several thousand copies to his regiment. Some Marines enclosed the copies in letters to their families.

An avalanche of coverage resulted. Time magazine published excerpts, which wire services spread even further. The entire sermon was inserted into the Congressional Record, the Army released the eulogy for short-wave broadcast to American troops throughout the world and radio commentator Robert St. John read it on his program and on many succeeding Memorial Days.

In 1995, in his last major public appearance before his death, Gittelsohn reread a portion of the eulogy at the 50th commemoration ceremony at the Iwo Jima statue in Washington, D.C. In his autobiography, Gittelsohn reflected, "I have often wondered whether anyone would ever have heard of my Iwo Jima sermon had it not been for the bigoted attempt to ban it."

ANOTHER DAY TO SERVE THE CORPS Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus, et Fidelis!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A military funeral in Texas

 
Email from my Dad (See below for update).

In Texas we really do pull off the road and stop for funerals......nobody moves until the last car has gone by. What follows is a message from Vicki about her nephew James' funeral (he was serving our country in Iraq):

"I'm back, it was certainly a quick trip, but I have to also say it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

There is a lot to be said for growing up in a small town in Texas. The service itself was impressive with wonderful flowers and sprays, a portrait of James, his uniform and boots, his awards and ribbons.

There was lots of military brass and an eloquent (though inappropriately longwinded) Baptist preacher. There were easily 1000 people at the service, fil ling the church sanctuary as well as the fellowship hall and spilling out into the parking lot.

However, the most incredible thing was what happened following the service on the way to the cemetery.

We went to our cars and drove to the cemetery escorted by at least 10 police cars with lights flashing and some other emergency vehicles, with Texas police handling traffic.

Everyone on the road who was not in the procession, pulled over, got out of their cars, and stood silently and respectfully, some put their hands over their hearts.

When we turned off the highway suddenly there were teenage boys along both sides of the street about every 20 feet or so, all holding large American flags on long flag poles, and again with their hands on their hearts. We thought at first it was the Boy Scouts or 4H club or something, but it continued... for two and a half miles.

Hundreds of young people, standing silently on the side of the road with flags. At one point we passed an elementary school, and all the children were outside, shoulder to shoulder holding flags kindergartners, handicapped, teachers, staff, everyone.

Some held signs of love and support. Then came teenage girls and younger boys, all holding flags. Then adults. Then families. All standing silently on the side of the road. No one spoke, not even the very young children.

The military presence, at least two generals, a fist full of colonels, and representatives from every branch of the service, plus the color guard who attended James, and some who served with him . was very impressive and respectful, but the love and pride from this community who had lost one of their own was the most amazing thing I've ever been privileged to witness.

I've attached some pictures, some are blurry (we were moving), but you can get a small idea of what this was like."

* * *

Update: Several folks pointed out that this funeral occurred in Texas, not Tennessee. The post was updated to reflect this.