USO Canteen FReeper Style....Liberty R&R to Arizona.... July 27,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family,
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank them.
Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper Style,
are thankful for every service member
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
in both times of war and peace, thank you.

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Message from Snow Bunny to all those who visit the Canteen.

This is how I think of the USO Canteen Freeper Style.
It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night.

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too.
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of place
that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, a library, etc.

Many Veterans have written to me,
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they served.

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy
and sometimes troubling world.
Make yourself at home.

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CASUAL SATURDAY AT THE CANTEEN

Liberty commences at the beginning of today's
FReeper USO Canteen thread
and, depending on your division assignment,
expires when the new thread for Sunday is posted.

***** A special invitation to our troops and Veterans
to join us in today's cyber trip. *****

Arizona

Arizona from the splendor of the Grand Canyon to the multitude of wildflowers.

Our trip takes us to the Grand Canyon.......Anyone care to take an added trip down into this marvelous place?

Our next adventure happens when we get to......The Havasupai Indian Reservation is located in Havasu Canyon deep in the heart of Grand Canyon. Havasu Canyon is one of the over 600 side canyons together forming the 280-mile long Grand Canyon.

Home to towering waterfalls, beautiful cascades, and tropical blue-green pools this lush oasis is considered the "gem" of the Grand Canyon.

Beautiful Arizona landmark, Camelback Mountain

In a place called Sedona, there is something very mystical about this spot in Northeastern Arizona.

Sedona is unique in several respects. First is that it is relatively lush and seems rather out of place in a state better known for it's desert-like landscape. Secondly, Sedona has beautiful rich red rock formations that jet out of the sandy canyon floor, they look something like enormous sculptures against the azure sky.

Traveling over to Tucson where there are many things to see: ...Sabino Canyon, De Grazia Art Gallery, Seguaro National Monuments. But one of the stops we will take , is the Mission San Xavier.

Mission San Xavier del Blac

[SpookBrat]

<---------click on Arizona

[SpookBrat]

"but you don't get invited to my house and start criticizing my Country and my family members."

Amen SAM. Thanks for bringing me back to earth. :)

[Pippin]

AHEM! The next state they'll see will be back east! HEH! HEH!

Think steamed crabs!

[SAMWolf]

USS Arizona (BB-39), 1916-1941

USS ARIZONA - 1932

USS ARIZONA - 1935

USS ARIZONA - DEC 7th, 1941

USS ARIZONA - DEC 7th, 1941

USS ARIZONA - MAY 18th, 1942

Arizona Memorial

USS Arizona, a 31,400 ton Pennsylvania class battleship built at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, was commissioned in October 1916. After shakedown off the east coast and in the Caribbean, she operated out of Norfolk, Virginia, until November 1918, when she made a brief cruise to France. She made a second cruise to European waters in April-June 1919, proceeding as far east as Turkey. During much of 1920-21, the battleship was in the western Atlantic and Caribbean areas, but paid two visits to Peru in 1921 in her first excursions into the Pacific. From August 1921 until 1929, Arizona was based in Southern California, making occasional cruises to the Caribbean or Hawaii during major U.S. Fleet exercises.

In 1929-31, Arizona was modernized at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, emerging with a radically altered appearance and major improvements to her armament and protection. In March 1931, she transported President Herbert Hoover and his party to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In August of that year, Arizona returned to the Pacific, continuing her operations with the Battle Fleet during the next decade. From 1940, she, and the other Pacific Fleet battleships, were based at Pearl Harbor on the orders of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Arizona was moored in Pearl Harbor's "Battleship Row" on the morning of 7 December 1941, when Japanese carrier aircraft attacked. She was hit by several bombs, one of which penetrated her forecastle and detonated her forward ammunition magazines. The resulting massive explosion totally wrecked the ship's forward hull, collapsing her forward superstructure and causing her to sink, with the loss of over 1100 of her crewmen. In the following months, much of her armament and topside structure was removed, with the two after triple 14" gun turrets being transferred to the Army for emplacement as coast defense batteries on Oahu.

The wrecked battleship's hull remained where she sank, a tomb for many of those lost with her. In 1950, she began to be used as a site for memorial ceremonies, and, in the early 1960s a handsome memorial structure was constructed over her midships hull. This USS Arizona Memorial, operated by the National Park Service, is a permanent shrine to those Americans who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor and in the great Pacific War that began there

[Light Speed]

Hi Bunny
Got your ping the other day....my high speed internet was offline.
The area I live in used to be swamp long ago....no "Gators did not eat the cable"..but we have trouble from time to time.
Have been studying a very heroic military operation by U.S. forces in Vietnam while the cable was down.
"Operation Dewey Canyon II"..or Lam Son 719 to the ARVN.
Will be posting some pics and info soon...
If one wishes to study Americas resolve in Vietnam..this operation displays the will and courage of the U.S. servicemen.
The book I am presnetly reading has gripped me..have not been able to put it down.
Some veteran web sites exist concerning this op...it was a costly affair...Americas flag never waved more proudly.
The ARVN going into Laos numbered 17,000..only 8000 made it out.
U.S. losses to helicopter crews were horrific..their bravery and determination to rescue and leave no one behind is amazing.
Its hard not to get chocked up during the read...many lost their lives to rescue friends.
168 U.S. Helicopters were shot down during this operation..over 600 were damaged.
The book is very detailed..and gives the names and actual battle account.
One web site has actual audio transmissions recorded from this op...you can play them and listen as the helo crews answer while under fire going into an LZ.

[SK1 Thurman]

Any "one-arm" bandits or roadrunners? We lived in Tucson from 85-88.

SK1 T

[SpookBrat]

Sounds like Fall Guys brother needs a good scrubbing. Lemmee at 'em!! I'll take care of him.

[Pippin]

Good evening, LS!

[SpookBrat]

Is Ugly Biker here? I didn't see him.

[SassyMom]

Great song, Spookie. :) We are having a cold spell today. It is only 95 degrees. It's about time to get out the sweaters. hahahahaha

[Kathy in Alaska]

Stunning picture! Thank you for sharing and for the music.

[SpookBrat]

Wow Sassy...break out the snow gear. Brrrrrrrr...

<---------click on the picture

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Well, I am not originally from there, but that is where my heart is. I grew up in the northeast--NJ--and when I left for college, I kept going west!

When I was a child, my family drove across the United States in our motor home. Of all the places we visited, I remember *loving* Las Vegas the best. Now wait...I know what you're thinking, but during that trip, Las Vegas was the only desert that we spent any time in. When we passed through AZ, I remember the only times we got out to walk around was at the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater and the Petrified Forest. We were in a campground outside the city of Vegas for a couple of days. Gosh, I can still remember stepping out of the mh, and feeling the whoosh of dry, hot air. Mind you...this was our summer vacation. It was pure love. Years later, when I was 25, I moved to the Phoenix area, and knew I was "home."

My mother always reminds me of how I wouldn't stop talking about the desert, and how I even loved the vastness of earth when we walked through the Petrified Forest. She's always kidded me about having been to so many of the other national treasures the US of A has to offer, and that my favorite parts were flat, hot and wide open.

I could go on and on, like I was speaking of one of my girls!

And so I will...(hahahahahahahaaaaaaa!)

In May of '94, I married the perfect man, who happened to be a Marine pilot. For many years, we lived in Yuma, which I loved, too.

Weeks after getting married, dh began his workups for the boat which deployed in Sept., and returned home in April. Right before he left, we spent a week just driving around the northern part of the state, where I discovered one of, if not the most beautiful spot in this country--Canyon de Chelley. In my opinion, that is where God goes to meditate (hahahahaaaa)as you can see Him everywhere! It is serene, spiritual and an experience without words. It is better than the Grand Canyon! ANd it is the quietest quiet I have ever not heard (or would that be heard?)

Well, hmmmm...anyone a millionaire looking to dump a shanty in AZ, and your girl is right here! (bwaaaaaah!!) ;)

I wish I knew how to post pictures, cause I would share some of my favs! Can anyone lead me to a tutorial?

[SpookBrat]

Good night and enjoy your movie with your sweetheart.

[Light Speed]

This is the Kanninaskis region near my home..the mountains which border between Alberta and British Columbia.
Wolves range through out this region...at night you can hear them sing and proclaim their dominion.
Several relocation projects have occured where the U.S. has recieved Wolves from Canada to be transplanted in Yellowstone and Montana.
In this mountain range..one can follow the Big Horn Sheep trails to above 5000ft...and beyond the tree line.
At night the sky will take your breath away..the stars..the milky way..
Down below..the Wolves sing at night in the Valley.
One is forever changed from this experince...

[SpookBrat]

I can help you post pictures. Do you want to post your own or do you want to snag them off the net?

[Jen]

Special Dedication to our Military Members
who are Working to Protect and Defend our Country

<=====

"Hero" by Mariah Carey

[MistyCA]

LOL! Thank you very much! I think what I thought was a sunburn really wasn't. It was an allergic reaction or heat rash of some sort, I think. The blisters and the rashiness all went away when I started taking benedryl! :) I am sooo thankful, Sam! I really thought my legs were going to have a permanent case of ugly! :)

[Jen]

Great liberty, Bunny. I love Arizona.

I'm actually going to have some time to do some 'real-life' traveling over the next couple weeks, so I won't be around as much as I have been. Plus, I've gotten myself behind (again) in the 3 classes I'm taking this quarter, so I need to put my nose to the grindstone and get caught up.

I'll miss y'all so much!

Jen

[SpookBrat]

<---------click on the picture to meditate. LOL