A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....04-25-05....Military Monday

Billie, The Mayor

[The Mayor]

A Few of FR's Finest
....Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I could no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I had been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that didn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why we've created a place for just that. This is a friendly room in JimRob's house where FReeper FRiends can gather every day and just say hello if that's all they want to do.

There's more of course. We sometimes feature different FReepers, with a little background information on who they are and what makes them who they are, along with a few photos you might not have seen on other threads; sometimes others write an essay for us to post as the feature for the day; sometimes our presentation is a human interest story found elsewhere that you might not have read; sometimes special holiday threads; but whatever the topic of the day, it is always with FR's Finest in mind and that is YOU!

If you would like to be featured, or would like to see someone else featured, please send me a private FR mail.

Every Monday we will post the photos of FR's Military Personnel that I have collected and put into groups; these will be available to view through a link the remainder of the week - every day just a click away. :)   If you would like to add a photo of yourself or a loved one in the military, past or present, please let me know; I will hold it until I have enough for a new group.

Thank you, and please have fun with us...every day! ~ Billie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank You For Serving Our Country!

TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete
MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet
MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga
BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette
MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid
BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP
MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian
BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

TOP:  Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog.
MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son.
BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

TOP:  dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon.
BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

TOP:  ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband
poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son;
BOTTOM:  AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset);
WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

TOP: Mo1's dad; BuffyT's Uncle (right, w/ her dad & grandmother); Armymarinemom's 3 sons.
MIDDLE: ru4Liberty's dad; SheLion's husband, MaineRebel; wirestripper.
BOTTOM: fivetoes; bigghurtt; hurricane; ladtx' dad; Pippin's brother.

TOP: Repubmommy's brother, Rose in RoseBear's uncle, BoxerBlues' son Chris, BoxerBlues' son Brent.
BOTTOM: Rose in RoseBear's cousin's hubby, Deadhead's stepdad, Dansy's dad, Misty's brother.

LEFT: Little Pig; TOP: hattend, Old Sarge, Aquamarine's dad.
MIDDLE: HuntsvilleTxVeteran.
BOTTOM: Its_me_K.E.T.'s son, Veloxherc, SeeRushToldU_So.




                     

T.G.I.F. WEEKEND THREAD 04-22-23-24-05...T.G.I.F. at the Finest ^

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man
at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

03-29-05 ~ Finest Hall of Fame #11

[CounterCounterCulture]

Is it your birthday?

Yep, for another 11 hours or so on the left coast. :-)

[LadyX]

White Rabbit: "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!"

===================================

No, I didn't fall down a hole, Brad's Gramma..:))
(shhh...Top Secret Mission I cannot reveal!)

It is wonderful to see the impact of this heartwarming story on us all, and to savor together The America We Love!

snugs, I especially appreciated your comments and contributions with the photographs of your Fallen Heroes -- our kinship is real, and deepened across the waters that cannot really "divide" us.
You add a new and lovely dimension to our Finest Family.

Thanks, Kathy, for Taps - listening to it evokes so many memories and stirs anew our appreciation for their sacrifices...

Monday is bright and blue and grand here today - and always a great way to start the week, honoring our military.

[LadyX]

Happy Happy Birthday
CounterCounterCulture..:))

Sorry I couldn't get to a florist,
but I did pick these for the occasion --

(Thanks, BG, for letting us know about CCC)

[LadyX]

Sorry you temporarily lacked 'mopping stuff' for the tears --
found this little guy who is willing to share his, though!

[Mama_Bear]

"Are you crying yet?"

Yes, I am. Thank you, Rus and Maggie. What an incredibly touching story!

It is encouraging to see the patriotism and respect for this fallen hero displayed in those photos. America is still filled with wonderful people who know the value of sacrifice, who respect our flag and our Constitution, who love God, and who know that some things ARE worth fighting for.

I will be passing this on to my e-mail list. And now I must go get a tissue.

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you, snugs. We can't be reminded too often that America is not in this alone. Thank God for our allies and may God comfort the loved ones of all the fallen heroes in this war of terror.

[Mama_Bear]

Thanks, Dave. I really like this photo. Can I use it for a pledge graphic?

[snugs]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

[snugs]

Thank you

[Mama_Bear]

war of terror.......War ON terror. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Have a good one! :-)

[Chong]

Dear Lady,

Oh yes, there were times when being patriotic was cool; wish we could return to those times and say the heck with the PC garbage.

I checked out your profile. "Thank you" doesn't seem adequate enough, but THANK YOU for serving our country. And another personal thank you for serving during the Korean war. (I'm a Korean immigrant, gasp, there I said it, the un pc word!)

You are quite a lady, LadyX! You truly ARE an all American woman. Oh, and you are gorgeous too, and hubby agrees. ((((((Hugs))))))
Chong

[Chong]

AWESOME!!!

[Chong]

"Hope to see you later, Rat Woman..:))"

Rat Woman, er, Gramma, hope all's well with you, your mom and the rest of your family?

Gramma=Rat woman. EEEECCCCCKKKKKKK!

[Dubya]

Vietnam War Missing in Action Servicemen Identified


The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced
today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam
War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with
full military honors.



They are Marine 2nd Lt. Heinz Ahlmeyer Jr. of Pearl River, N.Y.; Marine
Sgt. James N. Tycz of Milwaukee, Wis.; Marine Lance Cpl. Samuel A. Sharp Jr. of San
Jose, Calif.; and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Malcolm T. Miller of Tampa, Fla.
Ahlmeyer, Tycz, and Miller will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on May
10. Sharp was buried Saturday in San Jose and will be honored at the Arlington
ceremony.



The four men were part of a reconnaissance patrol operating near the
U.S. Marine base in Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. They came under
enemy attack shortly after midnight on May 10, 1967, while occupying a defensive
position. During the firefight Ahlmeyer, Tycz, Sharp and Miller were killed. The
patrol's surviving members were rescued by helicopter later that morning but the
bodies of the four men could not be recovered.



In the fall of 1991 several Vietnamese citizens visited the U.S.
POW/MIA office in Hanoi claiming to have access to the remains of U.S. servicemen.
One of the men provided skeletal and teeth fragments.



Between 1993 and 2004, eight joint U.S.-Vietnamese teams led by the
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) interviewed witnesses and surveyed the
skirmish area. Two other joint teams conducted excavations during which material
evidence and remains were recovered. After extensive analysis, scientists from
JPAC identified Ahlmeyer, Tycz, Sharp and Miller.



Of the 88,000 Americans missing in action from all conflicts, 1,835 are
from the Vietnam War, with 1,398 of those within the country of Vietnam. Another
748 Americans have been accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War.



For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to
account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo
or call (703) 699-1169.



[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2005/nr20050425-2804.html]

[LadyX]

"thank you for serving during the Korean war. (I'm a Korean immigrant,"

My time at Parris Island was at the height of the Korean Conflict, when the Marine Corps had its highest buildup in its entire history.

In those days, there was no air conditioning, of course, and my classrooms were huge, accommodating easily the groups of women recruits I taught - 60 to 120 as a rule.
The windows would be wide open, and enormous fans going in the rear.

Can you imagine the noise level, coupled with the inevitable outside noises - jackhammers, etc.??!!

Normally softspoken, I learned quickly the art of voice projection!
At the time, the airfield was a short distance from our Battalion windows, and often heard was the sound of planes taking off carrying loads of men going to the West coast and troop ships to go to combat in Korea.

My husband went, Chong, landing at Pusan and literally walking up the peninsula, MANY nights overrun by the drugged up Chinese in the thousands.
The Marine companies were small, and one night, badly overrun, the Chinese were bayoneting anyone alive. He played possum in the frozen mud - was stabbed 3 times without flinching - the man finally ran on.
Ill-equipped with WWII weaponry, and [old] food rations very short, the Marines kept going, finally reaching Seoul.

Outside the city, he and a friend were taken prisoner by the North Koreans - escaped, and were recaptured; marched to a "deluxe North Korean hotel," where brainwashing was introduced.
He was assigned to The Incorrigible Section, with Very Special Attention - as in frequent torture.

Most here have heard of the horrors he endured there (and he was just 16, mind you, lying about his age to enlist, his big brothers having served in WWII), so I won't enumerate them now...quite - no, VERY - horrible.

When the truce went into effect, he was one of those who walked across the 38th Parallel point to - FREEDOM...
could not talk about it openly for over 25 years.

Later, in the Air Force, he went to Southeast Asia as their forerunner of Special Ops, the teams he led often dropped in the hot spots - Tet Offensive, Da Nang, etc. - to see if downed F-111's had self-destructed as designed, or if there were survivors.
One time, he spent 3 days in NORTH Vietnam at such a site.

Hate Asians from the Korea experiences? No!! Indeed, he was a hero to the villagers around the base, often "gathering" food from the chow halls, borrowing the Chaplains' jeeps, and drove the bounty out to the starving villagers - they were decimated quite frequently by communist infiltrators (there to try to down our aircraft), who tortured and killed those in authority and their loved ones - in front of the villagers.

Despite the drawbacks of military life, we never lost sight of the REASONS for the necessity of assuring freedoms, whether ours or that of others.
With 3 children (2 teenagers) and he was about to be sent back there for another year, he opted out of the service when his enlistment was up in 1969.

We might look old now, but our hearts are intact, filled with love for America and the ideals on which it was founded that we wish for all mankind....

[Chong]

Can't imagine the level of the noise you had to overcome to be heard- among other hardships- so you could teach them what they had to learn.

Oh God, the pain your husband went through when they stabbed him and the will power it took for him to be still.....

I am so, so, very sorry your husband had to endure such inhumane torture by the North Koreans. Bastards!

I haven't heard any of the horrors your husband endured until now; I just knew you were a cool lady freeper whenever I ran into your posts. Only 16? Oh God..... If anybody has earned the right to hate Asians, it's you and your husband, and nobody would blame you for it.

Well, hubby couldn't talk about his Vietnam experience for a long time either, until he went to reunion of his unit. So I understand.

Dear Lady, I don't know how to thank you and your husband, to whom I owe my very freedom. You don't look old at all, you will forever remain my young and courageous heroes in my heart.

If it brings you any comfort at all, my heart is also filled with love for America and the American Spirit and I salute you all.

[LadyX]

How wonderful that God brought us together at this end of life to savor the hard won gains of those early years!
Thank you for being so expressive, Chong - you are a fine American, and I'm glad to know you...

[Dubya]

I just invited Beth528 to join us on FR Finest.
Hope Amy will invite her to Amy's thread.
Thanks
Dub

[Chong]

I am glad and honored to know you, LadyX. God Bless you and yours!