FReeper Canteen ~ National Maritime Day & Memorial Day Weekend ~ 22 May 09

Serving The Best Troops And Veterans In The World. | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ National Maritime Day and Memorial Day Weekend ~

STEAMSHIP SAVANNAH - 1819

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Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), established in 1943, is operated by the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The mission of the Academy, located on 82-waterfront acres 20 miles from New York City, is to educate and graduate officers and leaders of honor and integrity to serve in America's merchant marine, maritime and intermodal transportation industries, and the Armed Forces.

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US MERCHANT MARINE IN VIETNAM

Army In February 1951 the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) aircraft carrier Windham Bay, was the first large ship to navigate the Long Tam River since 1925. While the ship was docked at Saigon (French Indochina) 17 hand grenades were tossed at the ship by terrorists.

The Military Sea Transportation Service was established in 1949 to provide sea transportation to the military as a successor to the Army Transportation Service. MSTS operated a fleet of ships and had charter agreements with commercial shipping firms. MSTS was succeeded by Military Sealift Command.

In 1954, after the partitioning of Vietnam, MSTS evacuated Vietnamese refugees from North to South Vietnam. USNS Howze was one of many MSTS ships involved in "Passage to Freedom" bringing 300,000 refugees and 200,000 tons of Cargo from North Vietnam. [Your webmistress arrived in the United States in 1949 on the USAT General R. L. Howze as a refugee of World War II.]

The Military Sea Transportation Service had the job of bringing war supplies to Vietnam -- 10,000 miles from the Pacific coast. MSTS had four separate customers to serve: the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. MSTS ships were staffed by "civilian" crews, but carried 95% of the supplies used by our Armed Forces in Vietnam including bombs and ammunition into combat zones under fire. Crew members were given Navy grades and rank identification in event of enemy capture. During Vietnam, MSTS first utilized roll-on/roll-off ships and container ships which speeded loading and unloading.

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United States Army

United States Navy

United States Marine Corps

United States Air Force

United States Coast Guard

US MERCHANT MARINE IN WORLD WAR II

One way to understand the Second World War is to appreciate the critical role of merchant shipping... the availability or non-availability of merchant shipping determined what the Allies could or could not do militarily.... when sinkings of Allied merchant vessels exceeded production, when slow turnarounds, convoy delays, roundabout routing, and long voyages taxed transport severely, or when the cross-Channel invasion planned for 1942 had to be postponed for many months for reasons which included insufficient shipping.

Had these ships not been produced, the war would have been in all likelihood prolonged many months, if not years. Some argue the Allies would have lost as there would not have existed the means to carry the personnel, supplies, and equipment needed by the combined Allies to defeat the Axis powers. [It took 7 to 15 tons of supplies to support one soldier for one year.] The U.S. wartime merchant fleet. . . constituted one of the most significant contributions made by any nation to the eventual winning of the Second World War.

In the final assessment, the huge US merchant fleet... provided critical logistical support to the war effort.

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Where The Stars & Stripes and The Eagles Fly

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere

Ragged Old Flag

Battle Hymn of The Republic

PATRIOT SUPPORT

Motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard Riders show their support to troops at the Warrior's Weekend in Port O'Connor, Texas, May 17, 2009. Locals treated wounded soldiers and veterans to free fishing at the event. U.S.Army photo by Sgt. Stephen Decatur

RAVEN WINGS

U.S. Senior Airman Branden Boyher launches an RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft system on Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, May 20, 2009. Boyher is a member of a four-person team that initiated and oversaw the launch of one of six Ravens assigned to Kirkuk. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eunique Stevens

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

[Kathy in Alaska]

This is my WORK connection. I pressed POST and it just sat there when I tried to post the thread. The “ping” always takes a long time, but with a slow connection has a tendency to double post.

[SandRat]

maybe the POO-ter bug illegally immigrated? LOL

[Kathy in Alaska]

TAPS

RIP Sgt Carlie M Lee, III USA

Amazing Grace

[Kathy in Alaska]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

 Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; 
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee. 

(Click on graphics for music)

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

 Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; 
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee. 

(Click on graphics for music)

[Kathy in Alaska]

United States Marine Corps Band~National Anthem

[Kathy in Alaska]

From Xerox ~ Let's Say Thanks to our Troops

Simple. Easy. Involve your kids.
We can each send thanks every single day.

[luvie]

REST IN PEACE
SGT CARLIE M LEE III
SSGT ESAU I D HERNANDEZ
KIA MAY 15, 2009
YOU ARE OUR HEROES
*************
AMAZING GRACE
[CLICK]

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in 1st....Sand grabs the gold!!

[luvie]

Thanks for issuing in the weekend for the Canteen, and an important one at that for our troops! God bless them all!

[GulfWar1Vet]

Evening Kathy, all

May God bless you all this Memorial Day Weekend!

[AZamericonnie]

Thank you for this evenings thread Ma! *hugs*

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in 2nd....Mac snags the silver!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh, no....an illegal alien!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top 3....Nana Hope bags the bronze!!

[ConorMacNessa]

Greetings To All Who Enter This Canteen, To Our Serving Military, Our Veterans, Their Families, FRiends and To Our Allies!

Missing Man Setting

Never Forget Those Who Sacrificed All That We Could Live In Freedom!!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Thanks for tonights thread, Ma!
Great pics!
The ones of the PGR make me smile!
Good evening everyone!

[GulfWar1Vet]

[AZamericonnie]

Lovely to see you Conor!

It’a beautiful evening here.

*hugs*

[Kathy in Alaska]

TAPS

RIP S/Sgt. Esau I. Delapena Hernandez USA

Amazing Grace

[GulfWar1Vet]