Tank battalion grants 'wish' for 6-year-old
Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20051220133518
Story by Lance Cpl. Lucian Friel
Posted on 12/26/2005 7:07:07 PM PST by The Mayor
Thank you Meg, what a great thread!
Merry Christmas to you and of course Happy New Year!
What an Emotional picture that is!
Thank you!
http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/ItisPeke/VDay.html
..."You will watch the backs of the men next to you as they will watch yours,
no matter the color, or by what name they call God..."
* * *
***THE MANSIONS OF THE LORD***
from the movie "We Were Soldiers"
To fallen soldiers let us sing
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord
No more bleeding, no more fight
No prayers pleading through the night
Just divine embrace, eternal light
In the Mansions of the Lord
Where no mothers cry and no children weep
We will stand and guard though the angels sleep
While through the ages safely keep
The Mansions of the Lord
Misty screen thank you for the picture.
The history of Boxing Day was especially interesting to me.
"Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. It falls on December 26th, which is also St. Stephen's Day.
Stephen was the first Christian to be martyred for his faith, and he met his death by stoning. Acts 7 v 54 - 60."
'There is also a popular Christmas Carol that refers to this day.
GOOD KING WENCESLAS
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen, When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel, When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel."
This evokes memories of the Christmas season when I was 10, and my very first piano recital, playing this song as a duet with my teacher, Mrs. Peyraud..:))
Incidentally, my first child is named Stephen, and he bears it well....
You are lifted up to our Lord daily, B.J., as are all our miitary around the world.
Love,
Grandmama
Lots of things to do today, putting up Christmas decorations and trying to get things back to normal. What a fiasco! lol
Sigh! Way more fun getting it out and putting it up than taking it down and putting it all away. :(
Morning, all! Happy two days after Christmas and five days before New Year's Day.
Thank you to our Military! Thank you to our Leaders! God Bless the USA!
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Dec. 20, 2005) -- Most children grow up playing with trucks and tanks, but few of them have the chance to ever experience riding the “Iron Horse.”
Thanks to the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Marines of 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, that experience came alive for six-year-old Brandon Rasnick of Lehigh Acres, Fla.
Brandon, who was promoted to the rank of sergeant by his fellow Marines, has cystic fibrosis, a genetic lung disorder. Since his one wish was train with Marines and to “save the world,” the Marines of 2nd Tanks arranged a tank display and ride for Brandon.
Sgt. Ricardo Fernandez Jr., a tank commander with C Company, instructed Brandon on the M-1A1 Abrams Battle Tank and took him on the ride of his life.
“It was great doing something like that for him,” said the San Antonio native. “For us, riding in a tank is not that big of a deal, but seeing the excitement and amazement in his eyes made me realize how important and special it is to some people.”
Before taking off on the ride, Brandon got the opportunity to look around the inside and outside of the tank. He learned about where the rounds go to fire the main gun. He was able to look through the sights of the mounted guns, and he learned the basic functions of the tank.
“It was so awesome teaching him about the tank,” said Fernandez, a 2002 John Jay High School graduate. “Seeing the look on his face when I told him certain things about the tank was great.”
The 22-year-old father of two explained what it was like for him driving Brandon around the base.
“He was a little cold, but he was so excited to be riding in a tank,” he said. “When we were crossing the road, he said to me, ‘All clear tank commander!’ I could tell he was having an awesome time.”
Spending the morning with Brandon and giving him the experience of the “Iron Horse” put a different light on life for Fernandez.
“Just seeing this six-year-old fighting through this sickness was amazing,” he said. “It’s tougher than anything we’ll have to do. He’s definitely a warrior and for me it put a different perspective on life. It makes you appreciate everything you take for granted.”
This morning was one that Brandon or his fellow Marines will not soon forget.
“I’m glad I got a chance to be a part of this,” Fernandez said. “This experience made me feel special, and I will never forget this.”
Tank battalion grants 'wish' for 6-year-old
Submitted by: 2nd Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20051220133518
Story by Lance Cpl. Lucian Friel
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British Prime Minister Tony Blair (C) disembarks from a helicopter after arriving at Basra airport in Iraq.
Prime Minister Tony Blair meets British troops based in Shaibah Logistic Base, Basra, Iraq, December 22, 2005
Eat one for me!
I like your dog.
I love England--particularly the countryside. I learned to enjoy baked tomatoes in England.
I was looking through your photo gallery of veterans, and caught the one of COB1 in uniform... missing him this first Christmas he's gone from us...
I admire how your Prime Minister has supported us all throughout this war on terror...and supports and believes in his troops like GW does.
God bless our troops, yes, and God be with their families back home. As Gen. Peter Pace said, the families back home sacrifice and serve every bit as much as those in uniform in harm's way. Oo-rah, General!
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