FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Hollywood Part 2 ~ June 10, 2013

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

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!

---

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Hollywood Part 2
 

           

Back when being a "Hollywood Legend" didn't necessarily mean you were an anti-American mouthpiece, there were some men who were real men and served their country.  I wish it was still that way!  These heroes might surprise you - they did me!  Thank mountainlion for alerting me to these!

Charles Durning

Before The Sting and Tootsie, Charles Durning had a military career worth knowing about.

Durning served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Drafted at age 21, he was first assigned as a rifleman with the 398th Infantry Regiment, and later served overseas with the 3rd Army Support troops and the 386th Anti-aircraft Artillery (AAA) Battalion.

Durning participated in the Normandy Invasion of France on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and was among the first troops to land at Omaha Beach. In episode "S03E09" of the television program Dinner for Five, which also included Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise and Charles Nelson Reilly, Reynolds spoke about Durning's service career for him, as Durning did not like to talk about it much. Reynolds revealed that Durning was in a group of gliders who overshot their landing zone and that he had to fight alone all the way back to the beach. Reynolds also stated that his own father was there fighting about 15 yards away and that Durning was probably the most decorated veteran (then) still alive from World War II. Some sources state that he was with the 1st Infantry Division at the time, but it is unclear if he served as a rifleman or as a member of one of the division's artillery battalions.

Durning was wounded by a German “S” Mine on June 15, 1944 at La Mare des Mares, Normandy. He was transported to the 24th Evacuation Hospital and by June 17 he was in England at the 217th General Hospital. He was severely wounded by shrapnel in the left and right thighs, the right hand, the frontal head region, and the anterior left chest wall. Durning recovered quickly and was determined to be fit for duty on December 6, 1944. He arrived back at the front in time to take part in the Battle of the Bulge, the German counter-offensive through the Ardennes Forest of Belgium and Luxembourg in December 1944. Subsequently, Durning was at one point captured by the Germans and reportedly narrowly escaped a massacre of prisoners. (Whether this was the famed Malmedy massacre is a matter of dispute, since no official record of Durning's name associated with the massacre has been found, and Durning himself did not publicly claim to have been there.)

After being wounded again, this time in the chest, Durning was returned to the United States. He remained in Army hospitals until being discharged with the rank of Private First Class on January 30, 1946.

Durning was known for participating in various functions to honor American veterans. He was the chairman one year of the U.S. National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. He was an honored guest speaker at the National Memorial Day Concert for many years, televised by PBS every year on the Sunday evening of Memorial Day weekend.

For his valor and the wounds he received during the war, Durning was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Heart medals. Additional awards include the World War II Victory Medal.

In April 2008, Durning received the National Order of the Legion of Honor from the French consul in Los Angeles, awarded to those who served with distinction in France. During the ceremony, Durning spoke about his wartime experiences.

On May 26, 2013, Durning was paid a special tribute at the National Memorial Day Concert at which Taps was sounded in his honor. The tribute included clips of some of his appearances at previous concerts at which he talked about his war experiences and of him embracing fellow veterans.

 

 

Charles Bronson

Before The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape, Charles Bronson was in the Army Air Force.

In 1943, Bronson enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces and served as an aerial gunner in the 760th Flexible Gunnery Training Squadron, and in 1945 as a B-29 Superfortress crewman with the 39th Bombardment Group based on Guam. He was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds received during his service.

 

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top three....HJ bags the bronze!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, mountainlion...((HUGS))...thanks for the heads up on these war vets of Hollywood.

I think you are right...there are still many ready to protect our country, if given the chance.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hmmmmm....there must be a gremlin in my computer. Sorry.

And that same gremlin stole my tag. Gotta fix that.

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

A Letter From C. S. Lewis
June 10, 2013

In September 1961, Harvey Karlsen, a high school student in Brooklyn, New York, wrote to C. S. Lewis in England. Harvey had read Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters and asked the author, “When you wrote this book, did Satan give you any trouble, and if he did, what did you do about it?”

Three weeks later, Lewis penned a reply in which he affirmed that he still had plenty of temptations. He said that in facing them, “Perhaps . . . the most important thing is to keep on; not to be discouraged however often one yields to the temptation, but always to pick yourself up again and ask forgiveness.”

The New Testament letters of John are filled with encouragement to persevere in the face of temptation. “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:12-13).

Whatever our age or experience, we are in a spiritual battle together. “The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (v.17).

Let us cling to God and keep on!

Lord, I get discouraged when I’ve given in again to one
of Satan’s schemes. I’m thankful, though, that Christ
paid for that sin on the cross. Help me to confess it and then
to keep on relying on You for my spiritual growth.

To master temptation, let Christ master you.

Read: 1 John 2:9-17

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. —1 John 2:12

Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 34-36; John 19:1-22

[left that other site]

Yes! Finally!

Linda and I walked 5 MILES today...to the bank and back, and we stopped at dunkin donuts to sit outside and have a glass of ice tea (Ice water for her) and after that i went for a ride on the bike.

Finally some SUNSHINE!

[ConorMacNessa]

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



Missing Man Setting

"The Empty Chair"

By Captain Carroll "Lex" Lefon, USN (RET), on December 21st, 2004

"In the wardroom onboard the aircraft carrier from which I recently debarked was a small, round table, with single chair. No one ever sat there, and the reasons, both for the table being there, and for the fact that the chair was always empty, will tell the reader a little bit about who we are as a culture. The wardroom, of course, is where the officers will dine; morning, noon and evening. It is not only a place to eat – it is also a kind of oasis from the sometimes dreary, often difficult exigencies of the service. A place of social discourse, of momentary relief from the burdens of the day. The only things explicitly forbidden by inviolable tradition in the wardroom are the wearing of a cover or sword by an officer not actually on watch, or conversation which touches upon politics or religion. But aboard ships which observe the custom, another implicit taboo concerns the empty chair: No matter how crowded the room, no matter who is waiting to be seated, that chair is never moved, never taken.

The table is by the main entrance to the wardroom. You will see it when you enter, and you will see it when you leave. It draws your eyes because it is meant to. And because it draws your eyes it draws your thoughts. And though it will be there every day for as long as you are at sea, you will look at it every time and your eyes will momentarily grow distant as you think for a moment. As you quietly give thanks.

AS YOU REMEMBER.

The small, round table is covered with a gold linen tablecloth. A single place setting rests there, of fine bone china. A wineglass stands upon the table, inverted, empty. On the dinner plate is a pinch of salt. On the bread plate is a slice of lemon. Besides the plate lies a bible. There is a small vase with a single red rose upon the table. Around the vase is wound a yellow ribbon. There is the empty chair.

We will remember because over the course of our careers, we will have had the opportunity to enjoy many a formal evening of dinner and dancing in the fine company of those with whom we have the honor to serve, and their lovely ladies. And as the night wears on, our faces will in time become flushed with pleasure of each other’s company, with the exertions on the dance floor, with the effects of our libations. But while the feast is still at its best, order will be called to the room – we will be asked to raise our glasses to the empty table, and we will be asked to remember:

The table is round to show our everlasting concern for those who are missing. The single setting reminds us that every one of them went to their fates alone, that every life was unique.

The tablecloth is gold symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answered the call to duty.

The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones who kept the faith.

The yellow ribbon around the vase symbolizes our continued determination to remember them.

The slice of lemon reminds us of the bitterness of their fate.
The salt symbolizes the tears shed by those who loved them.
The bible represents the faith that sustained them.
The glass is inverted — they cannot share in the toast.
The chair is empty — they are not here. They are missing.

And we will remember, and we will raise our glasses to those who went before us, and who gave all that they had for us. And a part of the flush in our faces will pale as we remember that nothing worth having ever came without a cost. We will remember that many of our brothers and sisters have paid that cost in blood. We will remember that the reckoning is not over.

We many of us will settle with our families into our holiday season, our Christmas season for those who celebrate it, content in our fortune and prosperity. We will meet old friends with smiles and laughter. We will meet our members of our family with hugs. We will eat well, and exchange gifts and raise our glasses to the year passed in gratitude, and to the year to come with hope. We will sleep the sleep of the protected, secure in our homes, secure in our homeland.

But for many families, there will be an empty chair at the table this year. A place that is not filled.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER."

Thanks To Alfa6 For Finding Capt. Lefon's Chronicle Of "The Empty Chair."

Robert Schumann – “Traumerei”
(Click)
Never Forget The Brave Men And Women Who Gave Their Lives To Secure Our Freedom!!

"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[left that other site]

Being a person in “The Arts”, I am constantly puzzled by this, as the artists are the first to be oppressed when leftist regimes take over.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Publius...thanks for that video. He moves pretty good. d:o)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Permission Granted!

[luvie]

Great stuff, galz! Great heroes even in Hollyweird!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Aloha, Hawaii...((HUGS))...hope you enjoy.

Answering the phone could be problematic these days. Have a good chat with the relatives.

Glad you and the family are doing well. It is HOT here today. 75 at almost 1800 and still rising.

[luvie]

Till they all come home...

[Kathy in Alaska]

When hollywood had patriots.

Too true, Sand, too true.

Good evening, Sand...((HUGS)) Hope Maddi is doing better today.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks very much, Kathy!

*HUGS*

Still waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. I spent the entire morning horizontal - missed Mass today.

I hope you're having a great day!



"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mac...*HUGS*...hope you are feeling better today, that the meds are doing their job.

Did you get to work in the garden, or at least give direction to your sons?

A BBQ? Or are you playing Taxi Driver today?

[SandRat]

Good evening, Sand...((HUGS)) only report I’ve heard is that she is “Hibernating” sleeping all the time.

[ConorMacNessa]

No gardening today - Daniel watered and fertilized - I'll try to get the dead azalea pulled out tomorrow. We're replacing it with a double Pink Knockout rose.

I did a beef stir-fry for dinner this evening. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself!



"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Hope you had some relaxing time this weekend.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hurrah for you!!! You got to go riding!

That was a goodly walk. Sounds like you both did well, and had fun while you were at it.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for the Missing Man Setting as we remember those who have given their all that we may gather safe and secure.