FReeper Canteen - The Air Force Cross - November 28, 2005

Various - linked in thread | Grape Ape

[StarCMC]

 

 

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

 

The FReeper Canteen
looks at
The Air Force Cross

 

1. Description: The Air Force Cross consists of a bronze cross with an oxidized satin finish. Centered on the obverse of the cross is a gold-plated American bald eagle, wings displayed against a cloud formation, (as used on the seal of the Air Force). This design is encircled by a laurel wreath in green enamel, edged in gold. The reverse of the cross is blank and suitable for engraving.

2. Ribbon: The Ribbon has a very wide center stripe of Brittany blue with narrow stripes of white and red at the edges. Almost identical to the Distinguished Service Cross, except for the lighter blue center stripe, indicating the close connection of these awards.

3. Criteria: Awarded for extraordinary heroism, not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor, to any person, who while serving with the U.S. Air Force while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force, or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States in not a belligerent party.

4. Background: Designed by Eleanor Cox, an employee of the Air Force and was sculpted by Thomas Hudson Jones of the Institute of Heraldry. The Air Force Cross was established by Congress, Public Law 88-593, on July 6, 1960, amended Section 8742 of Title 10, U.S. Code to change the designation of "Distinguished Service Cross" to "Air Force Cross" in case of awards made under Air Force Authority. This cross, therefore, is the Air Force version of the Distinguished Service Cross. The first award of the Air Force Cross was a posthumous presentation to Maj. Rudolf Anderson Jr., For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy from 15 October 1962 to 27 October 1962. The action took place during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cross was presented by President Kennedy to the widow of the major at the White House.

 

 

• A Total of 191 Air Force Crosses have been Awarded

  • Three Vietnam War recipients earned TWO Air Force Crosses

  • One Vietnam War recipient earned THREE Air Force Crosses

• This list represents 187 individual men who received the Air Force Cross

  • Two WWII pilots receiving late awards were presented the Air Force Cross

  • The first AFC was awarded for a flight over Cuba during the Missile Crisis

  • One Air Force Cross recipient was ALSO awarded the Medal of Honor

• 24 Air Force Cross recipients were POWs returned alive after the war.

• 48 Air Force Crosses were presented posthumously

  • 28 of these Posthumous awards were to heroes Missing in Action and presumed dead

•   2 Air Force Cross recipients were Killed in Action AFTER their AFC action

• 22 Air Force Crosses have been awarded to Air Force ENLISTED MEN

  • Twelve of these 22 enlisted men served as PJs (Pararescue)

• 13 Air Force Crosses have been awarded to graduates of the US Air Force Academy

   

The Air Force Cross awarded Airman William Pitsenbarger was upgraded to the Medal of Honor on December 8, 2000 and is not counted in the above totals.

This information from Home of the Heroes.

WARNING:  MAJOR HANKIE ALERT!

Hero awarded Air Force Cross

by Terry Walker
377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

09/16/02 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, a pararescueman who lost his life in Afghanistan while saving 10 lives and making it possible for seven others who were killed to come home, was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross here Sept. 13.

The Air Force Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in action against an enemy of our nation. It is second only to the Medal of Honor.

"We gather to salute his bravery and to reward his heroism," said Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James Roche. "We gather to pay tribute to an airman who, on the field of battle, not only gave his life serving his nation, but also gave his life serving his fellow Americans."

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper presented the Air Force Cross to Cunningham's wife, Theresa. Cunningham's parents, Lawrence and Jackie Cunningham, also received medals from Jumper.

"In the frailty of our human existence we are ill equipped to express the extremes of our emotions," Jumper said. "For in the peak of our love or the depths of our sorrow, we have only feeble words that never truly capture the peaks and valleys of our feelings.

"I stand before you today in the humble attempt to assemble the words to honor a hero, knowing in advance that my attempt will fall short of the tribute that is his due."

Cunningham, a Carlsbad, N.M., native, joined the Air Force's elite combat rescue program and graduated pararescue technical training here in June 2001. He was deployed to Southwest Asia in February 2002.

On March 4, Cunningham was the primary Air Force combat search and rescue medic assigned to a quick reaction force in Afghanistan. The force was sent to rescue two American servicemen evading capture in austere terrain occupied by al-Qaida and Taliban forces.

Before landing, his MH-47E Chinook helicopter received rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire, disabling the aircraft and forcing it to crash-land. Crewmembers formed a hasty defense and immediately suffered three fatalities and five critical casualties.

The citation accompanying Cunningham's Air Force Cross reads, "Despite effective enemy fire, and at great risk to his own life, Airman Cunningham remained in the burning fuselage of the aircraft in order to treat the wounds. As he moved his patients to a more secure location, mortar rounds began to impact within 50 feet of his position.

"Disregarding this extreme danger, he continued the movement and exposed himself to enemy fire on seven separate occasions. When the second casualty collection point was also compromised, in a display of uncommon valor and gallantry, Airman Cunningham braved an intense small arms and rocket-propelled grenade attack while repositioning the critically wounded to a third collection point."

The citation continues, "Even after he was mortally wounded and quickly deteriorating, he continued to direct patient movement and transferred care to another medic. In the end, his distinct efforts led to the successful delivery of 10 gravely wounded Americans to life-saving medical treatment."

In remarks that seemed to capture Cunningham's spirit, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald Murray, said, "The former Navy petty officer considered joining the SEALS, but became an Air Force PJ. His reasoning? While other special operators search and destroy, PJs search and save."

Cunningham was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on March 11. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service)

 

To read more about this Airman, including a poem written by his brother, click here.
And be warned, you'll need your hankie.

 

Please remember: 

The Canteen exists to support our military heroes serving all over the world and their families.  There are lots of places around Free Republic to talk about politics and debate your views.  Please try to keep it out of the Canteen.  We want to keep the Canteen a place where the guys and gals who are serving can sit down, kick their shoes off and relax and not have to keep their guard up. 
Thanks for your help! 
Now go out there and have FUN!!!!   
*HUGS!*  

 

 

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

GRRRRR! Can't get 2 versons to load for Nat King Cole.

[Pusterfuss]

Good morning fatima, and thanks.

[Pusterfuss]

Good afternoon and Merry Christmas Tx.

[txradioguy]

Joy To The World - Robert Shaw Chorale


Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.


Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.


No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.


He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Try again, different server.

Want more information about the artists we play? Perhaps you'd like to buy concert tickets or their CDs?
Click the links below for more information!

ArtistDirect.com l Amazon.com l Ticketmaster.com l Songfacts.com l Walmart.com

Nat King Cole ~ The Christmas Song

[fatima]

Pusterfuss,My favorite Chistmas song and only if you sing it right ,
Pusterfuss,Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Refrain

[Kathy in Alaska]

Want more information about the artists we play? Perhaps you'd like to buy concert tickets or their CDs?
Click the links below for more information!

ArtistDirect.com l Amazon.com l Ticketmaster.com l Songfacts.com l Walmart.com

Buck Owens ~ Santa Looked Alot Like Daddy

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Everyone. Good morning to our

Military, our Allies, and their families.

Thank you, Star, for preparing the Canteen for today’s activities.

I'm Back! And, I'm at home today. The weather in my neck of the woods is pretty warm. Much better than last week. We're suppose to get into the 60s today with some rain showers throughout the day and evening. Tomorrow.....almost beach weather.

Mr. Beachy and I had a nice holiday and weekend. Mr. Beachy took all of last week off and just went back to work this morning. Me, I just had to take today off.

You know, I started digging out my Christmas decorations yesterday, but never got finished. I have to finish my tree and a few other things. This year I don't plan on doing a whole lot since we won't be having many people at the house. It seems our luck to be going to other people's houses, instead.

I got a ping that told me we have a new hero at the Free Republic and that she is going to Korea. I sure hope that we have a FReeper out there who will be able to welcome her there. And, I hope she decides to visit the Canteen when she can. Blacklions, the message below is for you also.

To all newbies and lurkers

Now, I need to browse the Canteen to see what I've missed over the last three days.

But, you stay right where you are. Don't touch that dial. Don't change that channel. Put down that remote. Don't leave the room. Keep your eyes on your monitor. Cause...............I'll be bock!

Now remember, the Canteen is

So, come on in and sit for a while. There's alway plenty of coffee, pancakes, conversation, silliness, and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM

DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

[beachn4fun]

[Jet Jaguar]

We're getting there. ((Hugz))

[beachn4fun]

Good morning and (((HUGS))) Ma. Are you on a red-eye flying home? Or do you need someone to remind you that you need to go to bed? p.s. I hope you have had loads of fun.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Pusterfuss.....

[fatima]

Oh My Gosh-You are so ---always awake,thank you Kathy (((Hugs))).Did I not say I would be here.Have I not been here and never left the watch.You have to play me a song to pay me back.I am thinking Red, red wine
Go to my head
Make me forget that i
Still need her so

Red, red wine
It`s up to you
All I can do, i`ve done
But mem`ries won`t go
No, mem`ries won`t go

I`d have thought
That with time
Thoughts of her
Would leave my head
I was wrong
And I find
Just one thing makes me forget

Red, red wine
Stay close to me
Don`t let me be alone
It`s tearin` apart
My blue, blue heart

---red red wine rap section---

Red red wine you make me feel so fine
You keep me rocking all of the time

Red red wine you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollars when your just in my hand

Red red wine you make me feel so sad
Any time I see you go it makes me feel bad

Red red wine you make me feel so fine
Monkey pack him rizla pon the sweet dep line

Red red wine you give me whole heap of zing
Whole heap of zing mek me do me own thing

Redred wine you really know how fi love
Your kind of loving like a blessing from above

Red red wine I love you right from the start
Right from the start with all of my heart

Red red wine in a 80`s style
Red red wine in a modern beat style, yeah

(chorus)

Give me little time, help me clear up me mind
Give me little time, help me clear up me mind

Give me red wine because it make me feel fine
Mek me feel fine all of the time

Red red wine you make me feel so fine
Monkey pack him rizla on the sweet dep line

The line broke, the monkey get choke
Burn bad rizla pon him little rowing boat


Red red wine i`m gonna hold to you
Hold on to you cause I know you love true

Red red wine i`m gonna love you till I die
Love you till I die and that`s no lie

Red red wine can`t get you out my mind
Where ever you maybe i`ll surely find
I`ll surely find make no fuss jus` stick with us.

(chorus)

Red red wine you really know how fi love
Your kind of loving like a blessing from above

Red red wine I love you right from the start
Right from the start with all of my heart

Red red wine you really know how fi love
Your kind of loving like a blessing from above

Red red wine you give me whole heap of zing
Whole heap of zing mek me do me own thing

Red red wine in a 80`s style

Red red wine in a modern beat style, yeah.
ub40 lyrics

[beachn4fun]

Yes, indeed! Praying all goes well.

HUGS

[Kathy in Alaska]

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, fatima. And, oh BTW, Thanks to you and your family.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, beachy.....one more week of vacation. I fly home on Saturday day. ((HUGS))

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Tx. How are ya? Have a nice Thanksgiving?

[fatima]

We never meet beautiful but I guess I stayed up all night(((Hugs))) Love You much..

[beachn4fun]

One more week? What a radical you are! LOL