Free Republic

December 7, 1941 is a day that will be forever ingrained in the minds of my family. That morning a knock came at the door of my grandparents home. My grandfather opened the door, and it was Mr. Steele, their next door neighbor. He was in a very excited state and kept repeating, have you heard, have you heard? The news he was carrying stunned them, Pearl Harbor had been attacked. After the initial shock passed, my grandfather and Mr. Steele went into the living room and turned on the radio as my grandmother made coffee. Their they stayed for...

Sgt. 1st Class Jarion Halbisengibbs received the Distinguished Service Cross, while Capt. Matthew Chaney and Sgt. 1st Class Michael Lindsay received the Silver Star during an award ceremony at the Special Events Center at Fort Carson, Colo., May 14.

1/2 boy 1/2 man The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment either. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives...

Wondering if anyone else saw the 60 Minutes piece on the cost of Dying. If you missed it, the only thing missing was "My name is Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and I approve this message. A brief synopsis was that they had 2 doctors on and a "taxpayer advocate" that said the answer to America's woes in healthcare costs were to go ahead and let terminally ill patients die, and give them less treatments and services. Rationing, it was explained, wasn't a dirty word, but in fact was the right path to not bankrupting ourselves. We must, as...

The shot, which the military strongly encourages troops to get, triggered a rare bad reaction in the Marine from Missouri — leaving the then-20-year-old Lopez in a coma, paralyzed for several weeks and unable to breathe, McClatchy Newspapers reported

Holiday Mail for Heroes is back! In this season of hope and giving the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, Inc. have joined forces to invite Americans to “send a touch of home” to United States service members and veterans across the country and abroad. In its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program is an opportunity to share joy and thanks with our service members throughout the holiday season by way of a greeting card.Today over 1.4 million men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces and over 24 million veterans have served in the past....

America's freight rail industry was well represented in the annual Top 100 Military Friendly Employers for 2010 published by G.I. Jobs magazine. The magazine named four Class I freight railroads among the top 10 most military friendly employers, selecting Union Pacific as number one. CSX Corporation came in second among the top employers of military personnel, while BNSF Railway was fourth, and Norfolk Southern came in at number seven. "The nation's freight railroads maintain a strong commitment to the men and women who serve our country," said Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. "We're...

As I speak to you today, I do so from the perspective of a simple “grunt” I have the greatest respect, admiration and affection for veterans of all the branches of service. I fought alongside Marines from the 2cnd Battalion, 7th Marines in Qui Nhon…a bunch of terrific, tough guys whose equipment was old and out of date..they carried the M-14 while we had the M-16…they had the PRC 10 radio which had been the mainstay radio in the Korean conflict, while we had a much more powerful and reliable PRC-25… but their morale, esprit de corps were just flat...

Presidential executive orders are lofty, historical documents, generally signed in White House ceremonies with pomp and circumstance. Seldom do we think of them beginning in a small town on the eastern edge of West Virginia. But it was in Shepherdstown, with a population of 803 at last count, where President Obama's latest executive order, designed to facilitate the hiring of veterans in the federal government, got its start. Since 1944, federal law has required that vets be given certain preferences when federal agencies hire. And this isn't the first time an administration has made noise about being nice to vets....

Holy crap. This might be funnier than those MMA guys giving wedgies. The most realistic depiction of life during wartime you may ever see short of enlisting yourself.

To celebrate this year's holiday, Applebees Veterans Day gives a free meal to those men and women who are either on active duty or veterans. The offer is not for a specific time of the day but any time at the food chain's restaurants. To redeem the offer, anyone can just show their military identification or be dressed in uniform to receive the free meal. Thanks to the Applebees chain for honoring our men and women who give of themselves and their lives for the freedom of others.

Thirty years ago, a young Frenchman walking in Normandy came across an American soldier's rusted dog tag among the rocks at Nacqueville, west of the port of Cherbourg. The name read: "Addison W. Arthurs." Etienne Desquesnes, now 46, wanted to return it to the owner or his family. But who was Addison Arthurs? Mr. Desquesnes wrote to the U.S. embassy in Paris but never got an answer. He finally has one now, and just in time for Veterans Day, thanks to some Internet sleuthing by his friend, Bertrand Goucovitch, 49, an amateur D-Day historian, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. After a...

Once again we prepare to honor those who have served in all of our wars, paying special homage to those who did not return from our wars. Nearly all of us who served in combat zones over our history view those whose names are etched in stone on the many Veterans Memorials as the true heroes of our conflicts. Viet Nam is labeled as “America’s Longest War” due to our involvement in that country from 1950 to the fall of Saigon in 1975. That 25 years pales when considering that after World War Two, we began engagement in a much...

Looking for a copy of a 1971 San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot Redbook for Platoon 1045. If you have one available, please contact me santos_213@sbcglobal.net

VAIL — A Vail man faces first-degree murder charges after he allegedly shot and killed a man outside a Vail bar over the weekend, Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert said today in a court hearing. Richard "Rossi" Moreau, 63, is being held without bond in the Eagle County Jail. He is expected to be formally charged in a Dec. 1 hearing, Hurlbert said. His attorney, Reed Owens, said Moreau has met with jail doctors. Owens said he wants to make sure Moreau can get the medication he takes for post-traumatic stress disorder while he is jailed. "We may have...

One landed on Omaha Beach just past dawn on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The other survived a German POW camp. Neither claims to be a hero — which is precisely why we honor these two Tucsonans as Veterans Day approaches. "Yes, I was scared. You had to be. But I credit our training for getting me through," says Bob Kirby, 88. A corporal with the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion, Kirby waded in chest-deep water onto Omaha Beach 50 minutes past the first landings. "Bodies were floating all around, and bullets were pinging in the water. I don't know why we...

http://www.popaditchforcongress.com/

Launching An American Knight in Washington Written by John Horvat    Thursday, October 29, 2009 On October 27, the TFP Washington Bureau was filled with friends and supporters to hear a presentation on the book, An American Knight The Life of Colonel John W. Ripley, USMC just authored by TFP member Norman Fulkerson. The author presented the book to a full and lively auditorium of some 50 people and later personally signed copies. As a special guest, Duke Paul of Oldenburg from the German TFP, gave the opening remarks commenting on the meaning of chivalry today. Also attending was...

WATERLOO --- Northeast Iowa soldiers attached to "Ironman Battalion" are facing another lengthy deployment. The Waterloo-headquarterd Iowa Army National guard 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry regiment spent nearly two years on active duty --- mostly in Iraq --- starting in 2005. It appears the Iowa National Guard unit will spend another year away from family and friends, this time in Afghanistan. The U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday the guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division, of which the 1/133rd is a part of, is on alert. The division will begin deploying in the fall of 2010 to...

The "Axis of Idiots"  From the Podium:J. D. Pendry, Retired Sergeant Major, USMC FROM THE PODIUMThis retired USMC Sgt. Major has his Stuff together. Jimmy Carter, you are the father of the Islamic Nazi movement. You threw the Shah under the bus, welcomed the Ayatollah home, and then lacked the spine to confront the terrorists when they took our embassy and our people hostage. You're the "runner-in-chief." Bill Clinton, you played ring around the Lewinsky while the terrorists were at war with us. You got us into a fight with them in Somalia and then you ran from it. Your...

Hope this is the right spot for this. My husband and I would like to assist the families of fallen soldiers with our charity monies. However, there are several different charities, all claiming to provide money to widows/ers and children of fallen troops. I want to be sure that we send money to a viable charity who really does get as much of the money as possible where it needs to go. Do any of you have experience with any charity of this kind? I've been looking at Fallen Soldiers Fund (http://www.fallensoldiersfund.com), Children of Fallen Soldiers Fund (http://www.cfsrf.org) and Fallen...

Maurice Sendak’s poetic, luxuriantly illustrated Where the Wild Things Are is revered as a childhood classic, but I think it speaks more powerfully to grown-ups than to children, or at least children of the age for picture books. I’ve met grown-ups who don’t like it, but I suspect they wouldn’t have liked it as kids either. If a child doesn't like it, there is always the chance he will grow into it a few years down the road. If kids do like it, it may be that they grasp that there is something there they don’t quite understand, something waiting...

This is a video Flash Movie of scenes from all 50 states set to the song, America The Beautiful.

Burial of an American Lady Written by Norman Fulkerson    Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Colonel Ripley often referred to Moline as his "queen." On September 25, 2009, a small group of family and friends said their final farewell to Moline Blaylock Ripley. She died at her home in Annapolis, Md., on Saturday, September 12, 2009 at the age of 68. Moline was born in Bluefield, W.Va., on Pearl Harbor day, December 7, 1941, to Arnold Vincent and Edna Pais Blaylock. Her family eventually moved to Radford, Va. where she attended Radford High School and later went on to graduate...

shocking I tell ya!

There's an email whipping around the internet, supposedly written by a Navy SEAL who complains that President Obama delayed decisions to deploy the Navy SEALs because he wanted to resolve the hostage standoff with Captain Richard Phillips "peacefully." There's enough background detail in the email to suggest it was in fact written by a SEAL, but several senior military officials who were involved in the direct planning and execution of the mission -- including in consultations with the White House and President Obama -- tell NBC News the claims are bogus.

The Sack Lunches I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan After...

Family lore alleges that one of my great-aunts was the first woman commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy during the mid-1920s, but as I have no way of proving that, I let it pass. Before 1928, she was in fact a captain, and so while one cannot allege she was the first, it appears probably she had been one of the first. And her older sister (by two years), before 1928, was a major in the U.S. Army. The two were the 12th and 14th children of my great-grandfather, a farmer and coal-miner in northeastern Pennsylvania circa 1880-1938. It...

Marvin Kostrowski died in Vietnam and his death is listed as Hostile Ground casualty yet he was killed by Friendly Fire.

Gov Palin skipped the Values Voter Summit since her son Track is back from Iraq this weekend....

If this is indeed an organization that helps vets, please let me know and let me know what I can do to contribute. I am retired AF and am 70% disabled. I would like to help anyone who needs assistance in my area: Seminole FL Zip code 33772 - Tampa Bay area

Wow! 0bama sure went 180 on his decision to send more troops into the war in Afghanistan. Do you think the fringe liberal left gave him the facts on how things work? You want my vote on healthcare, shut down the war like they did in Vietnam and let the Taliban start chopping off the heads of anyone that helped the Americans. Nawww the lib's would never do it again.

One wounded Marine meets a wounded Soldier. One runs for Congress, the other lives on the streets. After 3 year LeGer will get some VA support. Daniel Gilyeat, a Marine, lost his left leg to an IED in Iraq. Joseph LeGer, a Soldier, lost his left leg to an IED in Afghanistan. Beyond their service and injuries, the two American Heroes are a contrast in experiences. LeGer stood with an uncovered wound. Gilyeat stood with a mechanical leg. Gilyeat said he asked questions, scratched....

My husband, Rick Rescorla, was one of the 3,000 Americans murdered by terrorists on 9/11/01. Rick was Vice President of Security for Morgan-Stanley/Dean-Witter, the largest tenant in the World Trade Center. His heroic actions on the day of the attack, along with his extraordinary foresight and preparation, saved the lives of 2,700 people. His story has been told on television and radio - in newspapers and magazines - and in the book Heart Of A Soldier, by Pulitzer Prize winner James B. Stewart. Rick is also on the cover of another book, We Were Soldiers Once... And Young, written by...

The decision of the Associated Press to release a photograph of the last moments in the life of Lance Corporal Joshua Bernard, especially after his family objected, is contemptible.

This came from a Marine unit over in Iraq. SLEEP LAST NIGHT? Bed a little lumpy... Toss and turn any... Wish the heat was higher... Maybe the a/c wasn't on... Had to go to the john... Need a drink of water... Scroll down Yes... It is like that! Count your blessings, pray for them, Talk to your Creator And The next time when... The other car cuts you off and you must hit the brakes, Or you have to park a little further from Walmart than you want to be, Or you're served slightly warm food at the restaurant, Or...

Link to the image since the port office pulled it from their website. Remember, the president had to approve this.

1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress. -- John Adams 2. If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. -- Mark Twain 3. Suppose you were an idiot.. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain 4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and...

If you fail to submit... you will meet the tax man.

I just got done reading a book about England during the Dark Ages. By the way, there exists startling similarities between Ethelred the Unready ("unready" in this sense meaning "uncounseled") and Pa Kettle in the White House; in fact, one can predict Pa Kettle's foreign policy strategy by reading of Ethelred's. Anyway. There is much mention of military communications during this period (say, circa 500-1066 A.D.), which was facilitated by lighting beacons. Apparently it took a rider on a fast horse four days to get from the North of England to London, but with the use of beacons, messages could...

Jesus is the greatest example of a friend. (John 15:13), "There is no greater gift that anyone can give that a man would lay down his life for another".

Larry was like a father to me. We spoke on the phone several times in May just before his death. Larry told me he was in the tent when Patton slapped that soldier and that he came over to Larry and Patton spoke to him. Larry said he wasn't sure if Patton was going to yell at him too and he was a bit afraid. I don't know the html to post a picture here so I'll just post links to 3 photos of Larry. God Bless Larry and all the other WWII Vets to die before him. http://www.rhyner.com/photos/lhb/larrybloedelbronzestar.jpg http://www.rhyner.com/photos/lhb/va_hospital.jpg...

A photo gallery in remembrance

OFFICIAL U.S.M.C. COMBAT PHOTOS OF CHINA, GUAM, OKINAWA & IWO JIMA Those that served in the Pacific will remember these 100 photos from the USMC's fight there. http://www.rhyner.com/photos/china.html My father passed away some time ago. He brought these home. He was in all 4 places. He was in the 1st. Division 1st. Regiment 3d Marine Amphibious Brigade pansgold Viet Nam Era vet

The New Bakersfield, California National Cemetery is now open and accepting veterans for burial. The first vet buried was killed in Iraq less than a month ago. The VA will bury your spouse with you if you wish. They include a vinyl vault and headstone with your spouse's name on the back of your stone. It also offers perpetual care and opening and closing of the grave. Check it out. Many of the vets from the Vietnam Era are in their 60's and beginning to make plans for the end. Remember... you earned this! pansgold

Veterans and active-duty servicemembers not in uniform can now render the hand salute during the playing of our national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect this month. The legislative change was sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., an Army veteran, and included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009. The new provision improves upon a little-known change in federal law last year that authorized veterans to render the hand salute during the raising, lowering or passing of the flag. But it did not address salutes during the national anthem. Last year's provision also applied to members...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The remains of Navy pilot Michael Scott Speicher returned to his Florida home on Thursday, 18 years after his FA-18 Hornet was shot down on the first night of the 1991 Gulf War. Speicher's remains arrived at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station around 3 p.m. About ten minutes later his coffin was rolled off the plane draped with the U.S. flag. It was to remain at the All Saints Chapel on the base overnight.

Are there any sources of benefits available to needy Veterans?

Lt. Col. D. Scott Brenton is 25th Pilot in the World to Spend 4,000 HoursFlying the F-16 HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NY (08/10/2009)(readMedia)-- A New York Air National Guard pilot in the 174th Fight Wing has become the 25th pilot in the world to accrue 4,000 hours of flight time in the F-16. On Saturday, August 8, Lt. Col. D. Scott Brenton, a Manlius resident, hit the 4,000 hours mark when he took off in F-16 86-0249 on a routine training mission and then touched down at 11:15 a.m. "I have often joked that I have never considered...

My Youngest and last Grand Nephew Marine Boot Graduation.