FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Art Duncan ~ February 17, 2014

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 ~

Art Duncan
Info from here.

           

Sooo.....  I am a little bit Olympic hockey crazy right now.  Ten members of my beloved St. Louis Blues are playing in the Olympics on various teams - three on Team USA.  One of those garnered a TON of attention yesterday when he scored multiple times in a shootout to lift Team USA over Russia.  When I saw this graphic yesterday, it made me even MORE proud of T.J. Oshie!
 

It got me thinking - I wondered if there were any hockey players who were veterans.  I found a few stories, and even though this one was Canadian, I thought you'd enjoy his story! 
 

USA! USA! USA!

Captain William James Arthur Duncan (July 4, 1891 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario – April 13, 1975 in Aurora, Ontario) was a Canadian aviator and a professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager. In 1926 he served as the first team captain, head coach, and general manager of the Detroit Cougars of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He interrupted his sports career to serve in World War I, and became a fighter ace credited with 11 official aerial victories.

Duncan debuted in professional hockey in the 1915–16 season.

Duncan's October 1, 1916 enlistment papers gave his birth date as July 4, 1891, and his birthplace as Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada. He was an accountant. He listed his next of kin as his mother, Mrs. W. A. Duncan. He listed his home address as his mother's place in Toronto. He also claimed to be serving in the 34th Regiment of the militia, which may be the basis for his direct commissioning as an officer.

During the 1916 and 1917 hockey seasons, Duncan continued to play, as his battalion fielded a team in the National Hockey Association both years. His transfer to France cut off his sporting career.

Duncan first served with the 228th Battalion CEF in France as a lieutenant. On August 1, 1917, Lieutenant W. J. A. Duncan of the Canadian Railway Troops was appointed a Flying Officer in the Royal Flying Corps and seconded for duty with them. He was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and assigned to 60 Squadron in September 1917 as a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a pilot with a roving commission.

Duncan scored his first aerial victory on November 6, 1917, when he destroyed a German DFW reconnaissance plane northeast of Polygon Wood. He began to accumulate wins. On the day the RFC was consolidated into the Royal Air Force, April 1, 1918, he shared his seventh victory with American ace John Griffith. On May 17, 1918, he raised his tally to nine. The next day, he was promoted to temporary captain. He would score twice more after that, destroying an LVG on June 3 and busting a German observation balloon on June 5, 1918. He was returned to Home Establishment on June 30, 1918. A summary of his victories included an enemy observation balloon destroyed, an enemy fighter plane captured, seven enemy planes destroyed (including four shared wins), and two enemy airplanes driven down out of control.

His combat exploits won him the award of the Military Cross, gazetted on July 26, 1918: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On one occasion he attacked and shot down an enemy plane which had been engaged at firing on our infantry. He then led his patrol over the enemy's lines, dived down to an altitude of 100 feet, and attacked large numbers of hostile infantry with machinegun fire, causing the utmost panic amongst them and inflicting heavy casualties. His continuous gallantry and initiative have been most conspicuous.

An award of a Bar to the Military Cross in lieu of a second award followed on September 16, 1918: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer sighted fifteen enemy scouts attacking eight of ours and immediately joined in, destroying one enemy aeroplane, which fell with a wing off. He then attacked and drove down three other machines, maintaining the fight until the eight had got back to their lines. He has also, with another officer, destroyed an Albatross scout, which he followed down to a height of 200 feet, in spite of heavy machine-gun fire from the ground.

On March 31, 1919, Duncan resigned his commission upon ceasing to be employed by the Royal Air Force.

He played eight seasons in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association with the Vancouver Millionaires (1915–16; 1918–19–1921–22) and Vancouver Maroons (1922–23–1924–25). He played with the Calgary Tigers of the Western Hockey League for one season (1925–26). He also played with the Detroit Cougars (1926–27) and Toronto Maple Leafs (1927–28–1931–32) in the National Hockey League. Duncan served as player-coach with both the Cougars and the Maple Leafs.

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! 

[ConorMacNessa]

REQUEST PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD



CHARLESTOWN, Mass. (Jan. 14, 2008) The first major snowfall of the New Year blankets the USS Constitution. Despite the weather "Old Ironsides," remained open for free public tours. At 210 years-old, USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, manned by 67 active-duty United States Sailors and visited by nearly half a million visitors annually. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Eric Brown (Released)

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!!!





Boston, Oct. 21, 2009 - Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Philip Gagnon pipes as USS Constitution performs an underway demonstration in honor of the three-masted wooden frigate's 212th birthday. (U.S. Navy photo by Airman Mark Alexander/Released).
(Click for Bosun’s Whistle)



USS Constitution's 1812 Marine Guard fire vintage Springfield flintlock muskets during the ship's underway. "Old Ironsides" was underway for the "Constitution Day Cruise," which is conducted to thank the family and supporters of Constitution. U.S. Navy photo by Airman Nick Lyman (Released)

OUR TROOPS ROCK!!!!!!!

"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)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Permission Granted!

[SandRat]

Way to go Girl!

[Army Air Corps]

In.

[Kathy in Alaska]

United States Marine Corps Band ~ National Anthem

[SandRat]

[ConorMacNessa]

Good evening, Kathy and Star!

***HUGS***



Thanks very much – coming aboard! Rendering Hand Salutes to our National Colors and to the Officer of the Deck!

And thanks very much to you and Star for tonight’s Hall of Heroes thread! Capt. William James Arthur ("Art") Duncan, RAF, enters our Hall of Heroes to resounding acclamation from all who dwell there!

"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)

[ConorMacNessa]

REST IN PEACE, FALLEN BROTHER!



SPC Christopher A. Landis, USA
2nd Battalion
3rd Special Forces Group
KIA Afghanistan 10 February 2014



I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

"Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour,
and be in readiness for the conflict;
for it is better for us to perish in battle than to
look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar.
As the Will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be."
(1 Maccabees 3:58–60)

"God Of Our Fathers"
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
(Click)



Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in peace!
We who remain hold you in high honor.
Rest, fallen brother, in this sacred precinct;
We who remain keep this place sacred.
Rest, fallen brother, among these, your comrades;
We who remain keep the watch.
Rest, fallen brother, among these who answered the Nation’s call;
We who remain press the fight forward in your name.
Rest, fallen brother, lay down thy burden;
We who remain have taken up the torch.
Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in eternal peace!



Taps
(Click)

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)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please note: The author of the Hall of Heroes is StarCMC.

Please thank StarCMC for today’s thread.

~ Hall of Heroes: Art Duncan ~

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

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

CLICK HERE TO FIND LATEST THREADS

CLICK FOR Current local times around the world

CLICK FOR local times in Seoul, Baghdad, Kabul,
New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Anchorage

To every service man or woman reading this thread.
Thank You for your service to our country.
No matter where you are stationed,
No matter what your job description
Know that we are are proud of each and everyone of you.
To our military readers, we remain steadfast
in keeping the Canteen doors open.

The FR Canteen is Free Republic's longest running daily thread
specifically designed to provide entertainment and moral support for the military.
The doors have been open since Oct 7 2001,
the day of the start of the war in Afghanistan.

We are indebted to you for your sacrifices for our Freedom.

NOTE: CANTEEN MUSIC
Posted daily and on the Music Thread
for the enjoyment of our troops and visitors.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Kate Smith ~ God Bless America

[ConorMacNessa]

REST IN PEACE, FALLEN BROTHER!



SFC Roberto C. Skelt, USA
2nd Battalion
3rd Special Forces Group
KIA Afghanistan 12 February 2014



I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

"Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour,
and be in readiness for the conflict;
for it is better for us to perish in battle than to
look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar.
As the Will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be."
(1 Maccabees 3:58–60)

"God Of Our Fathers"
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
(Click)



Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in peace!
We who remain hold you in high honor.
Rest, fallen brother, in this sacred precinct;
We who remain keep this place sacred.
Rest, fallen brother, among these, your comrades;
We who remain keep the watch.
Rest, fallen brother, among these who answered the Nation’s call;
We who remain press the fight forward in your name.
Rest, fallen brother, lay down thy burden;
We who remain have taken up the torch.
Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in eternal peace!



Taps
(Click)

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)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mac...*HUGS*...a nice day at Castle MacNessa?

BBQ? John-Man feeling up to snuff yet?

Beautiful sunny day here, with a thin dusting of snow before I left on my errands...all complete for another week.

[PROCON]

Wow, good find Ma on Capt. Duncan! You always do the Canteen proud! Oshie was well served to give credit to our Military too, quite a modest man! BTW, I heard some part of Alaska set a new record for coldest ever with a wind chill at -97 F. Damn that Gorebull warming :-)

[ConorMacNessa]

REST IN PEACE, FALLEN BROTHER!



SPC John A. Pelham, USA
2nd Battalion
3rd Special Forces Group
KIA Afghanistan 12 February 2014



I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

"Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour,
and be in readiness for the conflict;
for it is better for us to perish in battle than to
look upon the outrage of our nation and our altar.
As the Will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be."
(1 Maccabees 3:58–60)

"God Of Our Fathers"
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
(Click)



Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in peace!
We who remain hold you in high honor.
Rest, fallen brother, in this sacred precinct;
We who remain keep this place sacred.
Rest, fallen brother, among these, your comrades;
We who remain keep the watch.
Rest, fallen brother, among these who answered the Nation’s call;
We who remain press the fight forward in your name.
Rest, fallen brother, lay down thy burden;
We who remain have taken up the torch.
Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in eternal peace!



Taps
(Click)

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)

[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."

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

"Träumerei"
Robert Schumann
(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]

Hi everybody!

((((HUGS))))

[ConorMacNessa]

No BBQ today - we had leftover Scampi for lunch - Chili for dinner. John-Man is still under the weather, and I still haven't shaken this bug.

Cold but sunny day here today - topped out at about 37F in the afternoon - high 20's now and high teens expected overnight.

Cabin fever is setting in - Daniel is bouncing off the walls.

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

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)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Sand...((HUGS))...Star really found some different heroes this week. Fantastic!

Hope you are all rested up for Maddi Monday.