[The Mayor]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Dutchess; dollycali;The Mayor; GodBlessUSA; JustAmy, and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

gator girl........................husband severa.......................... brother Maigrey.........................cousin mystery-ak...........son, husband Inspectorette.......................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew Diver Dave........niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin............niece's husband sneakers..........................son weldgophardline...............2 son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater.......cousin WaterDragon............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law kimmie7......................brother LadyX (RIP)..............grandson fawn796......................nephew ValerieUSA..................2 sons Lakeside......................2 sons LakeLady....................nephew Spruce......................daughter Leofl.................................son chena...............................son Hope and Glory..................son TheMayor...............friends'son Doug from Upland.......soninlaw homeschoolmama........nephew ariamne...................2 cousins mhking.........................cousin Consort.................2 daughters Consort...................son-in-law gonzo...................friend's son visualops.................Son, cousin auboy..........................cousin painter........................nephew jrushing.............................son LoneRedRanger...brother-in-law Ladysmith.nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend MontanaCowgirlCop......brother nelibeli........................nephew Misty4jc.....................husband Colorado Slim..............nephew Tapatio....................2 nephews ProudAFDad......................son Alouette.............................son Katydidnt...........................son Zechariah_8_13....brother-in-law Zechariah_8_13.............cousin PreviouslyA-Lurker........brother sheeza.......................husband kemathen7..................husband Q6-God..................twin brother Q6-God....................active duty Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne..........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells....................active duty LongCut...................active duty cjk...........................active duty Trish........................active duty ODC-GIRL................active duty AF_Blue...................active duty thumperusn..............active duty Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx...................active duty CGblue.....................active duty bigghurtt...................active duty frankiep....................active duty veeceeque................active duty JRios1968................active duty NoLongerFreeState...active duty CMS........................active duty JemiansTerror...........active duty Hoosiersailor...........active duty txradioguy..................active duty tongue-tied. .............active duty vigilante2.....son,& adopted soldier NavySEAL F-16................son Jaxter.....................son-in-law 2ndDivisionVet..........brotherinlaw 2ndDivVet.....former stepdaughter GrandEagle ............... friend-Tim DebWisconsin....................nephew JarhedAirmanPatriot.........brother athelass.......two sons and two nephews DCBryan1................Active Duty oneolcop.....................son ItsForTheChildren........2 nephews SoldierDad....son, nephew, neice, cousin OhioWfan................................son marsh2............nephew lilycicero.......husband DCBryan1........Active Duty

ladtx..................................2 sons ak_daddoo........................nephew Dubya............................nephew LBGA (RIP)..........................son katykelly..............................son Armymarinemom................3 sons american_ranger.....................son cookcounty.............................son Himyar....................................son SpookBrat........................nephew SpookBrat........................cousin boxerblues........................2 sons the piper..............................son Tiffee4Bob......................boyfriend TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons kneezles.................................son RoseinRoseBear.....cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy......half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...........nephew Atomic Conspiracy..............niece Sunflowergal....................grandson spotbust1............................husband campfollower............................fiance LUV W........................................son SilentServiceCPOWife........husband DirtyHarryY2K......................daughter DirtyHarryY2K................son-in-law Skimask.....................................son Palladin...............................grandson MississippyMuddy...................sister MississippyMuddy........2 nephews Kramster...............................stepson Socratic.............................nephew freema.......................nephew, son Azbushgal..............................son kimmykay.................................son NavySEAL F-16........................son Ike..........................................son repubmom...............................son wolfcreek..........................daughter JesseJane ...........................cousin Roses0508..............................son pmmd81..................................son SoldiersPrayingMom.................son WakeUpandVote..................brother Skyraider.................................son CyberAnt...........................nephew mrs tiggywinkle...................cousin Jen's Mom........................daughter Meg33.............................grandson 911angelady........................2 sons Nadine...............................nephew U S Army EOD.................daughter thehumanlynx...........brother-in-law JFC..................................nephew Earthdweller......................nephew Scubachick.......................husband ChairmanDec19thSociety ..brotherinlaw Anthem............................2 cousins meanie monster .........family friend PragmaticWarrior..........2 nephews Sageb1...........................3 cousins JulieRNR21.........friend's grandson SuzyQue...mom,2 sons,3 brothers weeder1...........................nephew IndyPendance..daughter,soninlaw fatima.....................granddaughter Lori from Long Island....soninlaw monkeyface..........two grandsons redhead...................grandnephew varina davis................ ...Grandson Rivendell.......................daughter W.W.Smith...........................son Gonzo........................Son-in-law USMCWife6869...........Husband AgThorn & Lily4Jesus......son jackv...............................Son Anne of DC.......niece's husband GulfWar1Vet...........two cousins TINA KIRBY...................Son dwhole2th ......................Son TADSLOS......................Son Katydidnt...................son Trooprally .................. son Edgewood Pilot...son, 2 nephews Diver Dave............cousin 007girl...................nephew arbee4bush .............daughter PERKY2004..........husband NotJustAnotherPrettyFace---nephew o_zarkman44..son,stepson,nephew USAFSecurityForces.....ActiveDuty Bushman2...........Son GodBlessUSA......son DeLaine....daughter in law Kalee....brother,son-in-law Enough_Deceit........son

[kelsiejackson]

[MEG33]

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U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Oliver smiles at an Iraqi child during a patrol in the Suleikh and Qahira neighborhoods of Baghdad, April 1, 2008. Oliver is a platoon leader assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's Company A, 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Multi-National Division - .
*Thank You*
To All Who Serve Our Country

Thank you, Mayor for our Military Tribute thread
Picture originally posted by SandRat

[OESY]

RMS Titanic was an Olympic-class passenger liner owned by the White Star Line and built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard. At the time of her launching in 1912, she was the largest passenger steamship. During her maiden voyage, Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, and sank two hours and forty minutes later on April 15, 1912.

The sinking resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 people, ranking it as one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history and by far the most famous. The Titanic used some of the most advanced technology available at the time and was popularly believed to be “unsinkable”. It was a great shock to many that despite the advanced technology and experienced crew, the Titanic still sank with a great loss of life. The media frenzy about Titanic's famous victims, the legends about what happened on board the ship, the resulting changes to maritime law, and the discovery of the wreck in 1985 by a team led by Robert Ballard have made Titanic persistently famous in the years since. -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic

* * *



The clear April night sky was filled with sparkling stars as the largest and finest steamship in the world sped through the calm seas of the icy North Atlantic. Many of the passengers had gone to bed, but some still could be found in the lounges, enjoying the Titanic’s luxury. No one was alarmed by the slight jar felt around 11:15, but many noticed when they no longer felt the vibrations of the engines.

Ignoring iceberg warnings, the Titanic had been steaming full speed ahead. Suddenly she struck a large iceberg which ripped her side. Within fifteen minutes the captain realized the danger of the situation, and the wireless operator put out a call for assistance. Sailors made lifeboats ready and ordered women and children to get into them first (Christian culture had stamped the ideas of chivalry into men, making them willing to give up their lives for women and children as their protectors, something rarely seen in other cultures). There were 12 honeymooning couples on board the ship. Though all of the brides were saved, only one of the grooms survived.

The captain ordered the band to play to keep up the spirits of the passengers. It began playing a rag-time tune, but soon was playing hymns.

There were only twenty lifeboats on the huge ocean liner— barely enough for 1/3 of the passengers and crew. Not all of them could be lowered. All 85 engineers continued to work to keep the ship afloat as long as possible. At the end many people knelt together in prayer until the waters covered them.

Throughout the mournful, evacuation, with loved ones being tearfully separated, the band continued to play. There is some dispute about what was played that night. Several people in the life boats heard “Nearer My God to Thee.”

One of the passengers traveling on the ship was evangelist John Harper. He put his six-year old daughter into a life boat and then ran through the ship warning others of the danger and talking to them about the eternal destiny of their souls. When he was finally forced to jump into the icy water, he clung to a piece of wreckage and asked another man “Are you saved?” When the man answered no, John said to him, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

When the Titanic sank early in the morning on this day, April 15, 1912, John Harper was among the 1,522 people who died. The band went down with the ship. The last hymn they played was “Autumn,” which concludes with the prayer

Hold me up in mighty waters
Keep my eyes on things above,
Righteousness, divine Atonement,
Peace, and everlasting Love.


-- http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2003/04/daily-04-15-2003.shtml

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