Free Republic

NESHANIK STATION, N.J., May 18, 2009 – Mike Corrado, the Marine recording artist whose 2005 hit song “On My Watch Tonight” was featured on ABC’s “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” and has become an anthem for servicemembers worldwide, is one of the headliners in Rolling Thunder’s “Saluting the Troops” program in Washington, D.C., May 23. Vietnam Memorial Founder and veterans’ activist Jan Scruggs also will be a featured speaker at the event, which will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at the reflecting pool at the base of the Lincoln Memorial. In addition to Corrado, musical guests include national recording...

LOS ANGELES -- The U.S. Constitution prevents California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from becoming President of the United States. But it doesn't stop him from being an ex-President -- or, rather, acting like one. Schwarzenegger has already graced the covers of America's major news magazines -- more the domain of heads of state than heads of states. Speculation is that, because Schwarzenegger can't run for another term as Governor in 2010, he'll move to take on the Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator, Barbara Boxer, instead. I'm not so sure. First of all, there's the reality that Arnold might not win. After all,...

In The Corner on Thursday, John Derbyshire posed the following question: "This week's big military operation north of Baghdad is named "Operation Arrowhead Ripper." Can anyone tell me why? Is it just a random name, or does it have some historical significance I don't know about?" We answered it here and here. And as early as Tuesday, we were talking about it here. ...

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2007 – The surge of forces into Iraq is over. The surge of operations has begun, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq told Pentagon reporters in a teleconference today. Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said the series of operations under the overarching title “Operation Phantom Thunder” is designed to protect the Iraqi people, ease reconciliation among the religious sects, defeat al Qaeda in Iraq and other extremists, and continue developing Iraqi security forces. Phantom Thunder is a corps-level offensive aimed at defeating extremists in Iraq, the general explained. “It is an open-ended operation that will extend...

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2007 – A chrome convoy of about 300,000 motorcycles driven by Vietnam veterans and their supporters blazed across the nation’s capital today in a deafening roar of solidarity. Spectators watch and show their support as motorcycle riders rumble by near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the 20th Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, May 27, 2007. The bikers ride to raise awareness about prisoners of war, troops missing in action and veterans’ benefits. Defense Dept. photo by John J. Kruzel  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. On the 20th anniversary of Rolling Thunder Ride for...

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Nov. 28, 2006) -- "Adrenaline rush" doesn't describe what it's like to stand next to a tank as it fires. It's as if Thor, Norse god of thunder, got his Viking shorts in a bunch because someone makes a noise louder than him, so he grabs hold of the adrenal glands and squeezes for all he's worth. The ear-cracking, rib-crunching, earth-shaking "boom" of the M-1A1 Main Battle Tank's 120 mm main-gun round firing is nothing short of unnatural. It's the sound of a thousand trees snapping in half all at once, the smack of a semi truck...

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, July 26, 2006 — Thunder Cove officially replaced Camp Justice as the new name of the Air Force housing area at the 40th Air Expeditionary Group in a renaming ceremony July 23. Col. Scott Vander Hamm, 40th Air Expeditionary Group commander, made the proclamation before unveiling a new sign with the Thunder Cove name leading into tent city. A new name for Camp Justice has been in the works since a contest kicked off in late May for airmen to submit name suggestions. A prize package, including a backpack, two shirts, $50 Ship Store gift certificate, massage...

MANASSAS, Va., July 2, 2006 – Under the cover of darkness, more than 100 people lit candles June 28 during a vigil at the Silent Thunder Memorial for Freedom here, which is being built to honor the fallen from Iraq and Afghanistan. Kevin Roustazad, creator of the Silent Thunder Memorial for Freedom, chats with Beth Jones, 17, a member of the Navy Junior ROTC at Osbourn Park Senior High School in Manassas, Va., where she's a senior. Jones is holding the folded American flag for a June 28 candlelight vigil ceremony at the memorial. Photo by Rudi Williams  (Click photo...

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2006 – Many Americans believe the nation's troops deserve support during wartime, but servicemembers returning with severe injuries will need special support the rest of their lives. Rolling Thunder New York Chapter 3 members march in the St. Patrick's Day parade, March 5: from left, Sue Orts, chapter board chairman Bill Palmer, secretary Mary Lewis, treasurer Tony Hilinski, president Ron Orts and Dave Hansen. The chapter will host a fundraiser Aug. 27 to benefit Marine Sgt. Eddie Ryan who suffered severe brain injuries in Iraq. Courtesy photo   Members of "Rolling Thunder" Chapter 3 in upstate New...

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2006 – This summer, one chapter of the famous "Rolling Thunder" protest movement will take their message out to the ballgame. Rolling Thunder members from New York Chapter 3 march in the Hudson Valley St. Patrick's Day parade March 5. From left, Sue Orts, Chapter Board Chairman Bill Palmer, Secretary Mary Lewis, Treasurer Tony Hilinski, President Ron Orts, and Dave Hansen. Courtesy photo   Paul Schneeberger, the event's coordinator, and other volunteers with Rolling Thunder's New York Chapter 3, will hold a military appreciation night at Dutchess Stadium, in Hudson Valley, N.Y., July 1. "The whole idea...

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 23, 2006 – The biggest-ever "Thunder Over Louisville" festival closed out with a bang here last night, as two "Thunderators" with military ties turned the keys to start the world's largest annual fireworks show. The world's largest annual fireworks display wraps up "Thunder Over Louisville" April 22. The day featured the Navy's Blue Angels and dozens of military and vintage aircraft performing demonstrations and flyovers before more than 800,000 people on the banks of the Ohio River. Photo by John D. Banusiewicz   Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Allison Barber, along with World War II veteran Bruce Voges,...

0545 - 04082006 - We're ok here in Oak Ridge as far as I can tell. Warnings and Watches through the night, lots of heavy lightning, thunder, heavy rain. Stepped outside the school during my daughter's play to keep an eye on the weather, and it was constant lighting across the horizon. My daughter slept in the living room with ear plugs, the Sheltie kept running back and forth between the two of us. Still dark out there, so I don't know if we sustained any external damage, but no leaks here in the house, and power was never lost....

3/28/2006 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Air Force chief of staff has announced the Cope Thunder exercise held in Alaska will be renamed and enhanced so it provides complementary training on the same level as the current Red Flag exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag - Alaska coupled with Red Flag - Nellis will provide the Air Force a common set of exercises in multiple locations that have standardized and equal training capabilities. “Red Flag - Alaska is an Air Force-level exercise that will build on and reinforce air force to air force habitual relationships,” said...

2/9/2006 - KORAT ROYAL THAI AIR BASE, Thailand (AFPN) -- Cope Tiger ‘06, an annual multi-lateral exercise involving the U.S., Thailand and Singapore, began Feb. 7. More than 1,300 people, including 300 U.S. servicemembers and 1,000 servicemembers from Thailand and Singapore, are participating in the exercise that involves aviation and ground units. The exercise is designed to hone flying skills and foster international cooperation among the three countries. A-10 Thunderbolt II operators and maintainers from Osan Air Base, South Korea, have deployed for the exercise. “For a unit that doesn’t normally deploy (this) is a great opportunity,” said Lt. Col....

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2005) -- The thunder rolled as Marines and Sailors here waved the North Carolina Rolling Thunder through the Station gates Sept. 10, and even though the personnel may not have seen the group, they did hear them. All five chapters of the North Carolina Rolling Thunder, a motorcycle group dedicated to remembering servicemembers who are prisoners of war or missing in action, hosted their yearly picnic at the Station Marina. Personally welcoming the group, Station Commanding Officer Col. Stephen L. Forand spoke to the group during the table ceremony. Forand welcomed...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Aug. 11, 2005) -- More than 200 Marines with Combat Logistics Company, 119 Combat Logistics Battalion 1, 1st Force Service Support Group, spent the week enduring constant, extreme temperatures while conducting convoy operations training July 24-29 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. The exercises were the last evolution in the unit’s training before deploying once more in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The deployment is expected to occur in the next month. “The overall aim of the training exercise is to make sure all the Marines are qualified over there in Iraq,” said...

Love her or hate her, America can't seem to get enough of Sen. Hillary Clinton. The latest literary examination of the former first lady - "The Truth About Hillary: What She Knew, When She Knew It, and How Far She'll Go to Become President" by Edward Klein - has produced an interesting ripple in the Zeitgeist. Nobody much likes it. That liberals dislike the book comes as no surprise, but that conservatives are distancing themselves from Klein is interesting. As a former New York Times Magazine editor, part of the liberal mainstream media that members of the VRWC (Vast Right-Wing...

Yes I was wondering why my account was banned last weekend after posting some articles about my feelings on Islam, Ann coulter and other related assortments? I registered a couple weeks ago under the screen name theprophetgoeszotolotomamo at the public library and was banned. Apparently some people did not take kindly to a post I did where I disagreed with some of Ann Coulter's rheteric especially how she wants to eliminate a violent death cult that wants to convert the world to gunpoint by practicing the same things our enemies do convert the entire Middle East to Christianity at gunpoint...

Thunder Over Louisville is the Kentucky Derby Festival's annual kickoff to the two week long celebration leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Each year KDF and it's sponsors-Chase Bank, Caesar's Indiana, Ford and UPS-put on an airshow and the largest fireworks display in the United States, dwarfing even New York's July 4th fireworks show. As part of the airshow, military aircraft from all branches of the Armed Forces demonstrate their capabilities. This year these included the F-16, F-15, F-18 fighters, Blackhawk helicopters, and B-2 and B-52 bombers among others. It's typical of airshows across the nation to include military aircraft...

I hired a lady to clean my house in Florida a couple of weeks ago and noticed her car had a "Buck Fush" bumper sticker. I shrugged it off and didn't say anything. So she shows up today to clean and she's got a new sticker on the back window. "Hillary 08". Well this was too much so I said to her, "How's it gonna look for a card carrying Republican like myself, to have a car parked in the yard with a Hillary sticker on it." She says, "You mean that you're not sick of Bush?" I said, "No....