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USO Canteen FReeper Style - "Thank You Troops and Veterans" - Oct. 2, 2002
Snow Bunny and friends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style

Posted on 10/01/2002 10:43:14 PM PDT by Jen


Part of our mission at the USO Canteen FReeper Style every day is to show our gratitude and respect for members of our military and veterans who have honorably served our country.

An experience by Tomkow6 sparked the idea for the Canteen members and lurkers to have an official "Thank Our Troops and Veterans" program. Several months ago on his way to work, Tomkow6 met a young Marine in uniform in a convenience store. Tomkow6 extended his hand to the Marine and thanked him for wearing the Marine uniform and for serving our country. The Marine seemed shocked that someone would thank him and want to shake his hand.

"This was a small thing that I did," Tom said, "and I hope I made that young Marine feel a little prouder about that uniform he had on, and what he was doing in it. I know I felt proud, just seeing him in uniform, serving his and OUR country, and knowing that he and others like him are out there, in the "all volunteer" US Forces, protecting our nation; to let them know that THEY are NOT forgotten; that there are citizens of the US that are very proud of them and what they are doing; that they are prayed for daily; that they WILL NOT have to suffer the shame that was heaped on my brothers and sisters returning from Vietnam; that they are our HEROES!"

So today the Canteen is kicking off an official program and a challenge to all Canteeners and lurkers to personally thank a service member or veteran when you see him or her. To make that a little easier and to help publicize the Canteen, we've created a business card that can be handed out after you greet the person and thank him for serving.

Snow Bunny wrote Free Republic's founder and owner Jim Robinson about our plan and desire to use the FR web address on it and got his approval on June 18.

When you see a member of the US Forces, go out of your way to shake his or her hand and say "Thanks for being there and putting on that uniform, and serving our country" or something similar, then hand out a Canteen business card and invite them to visit. That's all there is to it.

It's a simple thing that can have huge benefits in the lives of our troops and veterans who can never be thanked often enough for the sacrifices they make to defend our country.







U.S. Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Michael Walker of Havre de Grace, M.D., U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Andrew Amor of Grain Valley, M.D., U.S. Navy Senior Chief Intelligence Specialist Christopher Roades of Eureka, Calif., U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Damian Wright of Idalia, Col., and First Sergeant Curtis O'Neal of Tuskegee, Ala., all have deployed to serve in Operation Enduring Freedom and are participants in the Pentagon Sept. 11 Observance Ceremony.




The cards could also be placed under the windshield wiper of a car that has a bumper sticker or tag that indicates the driver is a military member or veteran. Or handed out in VA hospitals, VFWs, commissaries, BX/PX, wherever troops or veterans would gather.

Another great group of people to thank for their service and tell about the Canteen are military recruiters as Bluesagewoman has done so recently. Since they come into contact with the men and women who will become our country's newest military members, they are an ideal group to honor and help promote the Canteen.

Below are some business cards which can be copied and pasted into a Word document template for Avery business cards #8371. You can buy the perforated business card sheets and print your own cards, or have them printed at a copy center. You may have to change the font size if the text over-laps on the perforations on the pre-formed business card stock from Avery.

You may also want to take the liberty of "customizing" a little bit by adding your FR screenname, so the person you give the card to will know who to look for when they visit the Canteen.

If you would like to receive a ready-to-print template, send your email address by freepmail to AntiJen and she will email it to you.

Tomkow6 also created a small poster to put up in some of the local stores in his town that have community bulletin boards.

Thank you Tomkow6 for your wonderful idea!










TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: military; monacofreetedmaher; sanfrancisco; troops; usocanteen; veterans
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To: VOA
to the USO Canteen. Our daily goal is to honor our troops, our veterans, their families and our allies, and to provide them a place to come and feel comfortable and just put their feet up and relax. To this end, we know that their Canteen is providing this very place because our hostess, Snow Bunny, shares their emails on Mail Call Monday.

Please thank Mr McNiece, on behalf of the USO Canteen, for his service to our country.

201 posted on 10/02/2002 1:06:51 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: Militiaman7
What better symbol of the United States of America: a soaring bald eagle! Thank you for the daily visual of this great symbol.
202 posted on 10/02/2002 1:12:29 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; radu; Snow Bunny; bluesagewoman; AntiJen; MoJo2001; redhead; ...
Wow, Girlz, check out today's transportation. I love trains. Somebody will have to volunteer to drive til I can get to a train track.

I'm on my way.

203 posted on 10/02/2002 1:31:13 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: All
Howdy y'all. The satellite is being installed RIGHT NOW!!! Yippeeeeeee!! I am soooo ready to get my hands on that 'puter! With luck, this will be my last time coming to the Canteen on our little snail.

Hope everybody is having a great day today! :-))
204 posted on 10/02/2002 1:37:57 PM PDT by radu
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To: Mudboy Slim
I had a pretty good experience, (mostly) with "suh veel yuns"! LOL. It's kind of like Glenda the Good Witch asking "Are you a good 'civilian' or a BAD 'civilian'?" (being a dependent, I guess that has me answering "I am not a civilian at all!! I have run into some bad civilians of late, unfortunately.

I could probably go on a big rant here, having spent some of my reading time on Gary Aldrich's book, Unlimited Access. It's truly a book about the KING of Bad Civilians. If I get good and riled, I might get my garage cleaned out thoroughly as a result. FReegards, BUP

205 posted on 10/02/2002 1:38:43 PM PDT by BringingUpPatriots
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To: Mr_Magoo
Thanks Mr_Magoo for today's airplane, the F86A Sabre. It's so neat that our troops are enjoying the history lessons too when they come to their Canteen
206 posted on 10/02/2002 1:39:19 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: AntiJen
One U.S. soldier was killed and another injured today after a bomb went off outside a Philippine military facility, said a DoD spokesperson.

RIP American Soldier, we honor you for your service.

207 posted on 10/02/2002 1:44:46 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: BringingUpPatriots
"Are you a good 'civilian' or a BAD 'civilian'?"

LOL...despite my preconceptions, I came to realize that most See-veal-YUNS are purty normal...MUD

208 posted on 10/02/2002 1:46:17 PM PDT by Mudboy Slim
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To: SAMWolf; tomkow6; AntiJen
"Is Tom going crazy or what?"

Going? (giggle!)

209 posted on 10/02/2002 1:57:09 PM PDT by radu
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To: Mudboy Slim
sounds like a winner to me!

free dixie,sw

210 posted on 10/02/2002 2:02:34 PM PDT by stand watie
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To: AntiJen; All
"We do have great teamwork at the Canteen."

Teamwork is the special ingredient that makes the Canteen such a fantastic place. I've never seen a group of people who gel so well.

211 posted on 10/02/2002 2:05:07 PM PDT by radu
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To: BringingUpPatriots
Morning to you too, Buppy. Tomkow6 sure did have a good idea, didn't he? And then the creative Canteeners stepped up and brought the idea to fruition and we can all spread the word about the USO Canteen Freeper Style created for those who keep us free very day, and those who gained those freedoms for all of us.

I'm cruising this morning, trying to keep up.

212 posted on 10/02/2002 2:09:03 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: radu

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa Hoooooooooooooooooo!

Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

213 posted on 10/02/2002 2:31:23 PM PDT by tomkow6
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To: Kathy in Alaska
I love the idea! Useful and pretty darn good timing! I know I'll use them!!
BUPPY



214 posted on 10/02/2002 2:37:07 PM PDT by BringingUpPatriots
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To: Johnny Gage

Today's (belated) classic warship, USS Minneapolis (CA-36)

New Orleans class heavy cruiser
Displacement: 9,950 t.
Length: 588’2”
Beam: 61’9”
Draft: 19’5”
Speed: 32.7 k.
Complement: 708
Armament: 9 8”; 8 5”; 8 .50 cal. MG

The USS MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36) was laid down 27 June 1921 by Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched 6 September 1933; sponsored by Miss Grace L. Newton; and commissioned 19 May 1934, Capt. Gordon W. Haines in command.

After shakedown in European waters during July to September 1934 and alterations in Philadelphia Navy Yard, the new heavy cruiser departed 4 April 1935 for the Panama Canal and San Diego, arriving 18 April to join Cruiser Division 7, Scouting Force. She operated along the west coast, aside from a cruise to the Caribbean early in 1939, until arriving at Pearl Harbor in l940.

When Japan attacked her base 7 December l941, MINNEAPOLIS was at sea for gunnery practice about 20 miles from Pearl Harbor. She immediately took up patrol until late January 1942 when she joined a carrier task force about to raid the Gilberts and Marshalls. While screening LEXINGTON (CV-2) 1 February, she helped turn back an air attack in which three Japanese "Bettys" were splashed. She screened the carriers during their successful raids 20 February and again 10 March, when they blasted Japanese shipping at Lae and Salamaua disrupting enemy supply lines to those garrisons.

MINNEAPOLIS took part in the battle of the Coral Sea 4 to 8 May, screening LEXINGTON through the great air engagement and shooting down three Japanese bombers. She rescued survivors of the LEXINGTON, part of the price for preserving the vital lines of communication to Australia and New Zealand and stopping further Japanese expansion southward.

The cruiser was also engaged in the second key battle of the early phase of the Pacific war, the Battle of Midway 3 to 6 June, again protecting the carriers as their aviators dealt a deadly blow to Japanese naval aviation, sinking four enemy carriers and downing 250 planes with the trained pilots. This victory was not only critical in preserving the American position in the central Pacific, but meant the beginning of the end for Japanese air/sea power, so decisive in modern warfare.

After replenishing and repairing at Pearl Harbor, MINNEAPOLIS sailed to protect the carriers as they covered the landing at Guadalcanal and Tulagi 7 to 9 August. Remaining with the flattops, she went to the aid of SARATOGA (CV-3) 30 August, when the carrier took a torpedo hit, and towed her from the danger area. Through September and October, she supported landings west of Lunga Point on Funafuti.

As flagship of TF 67, she sortied 29 November to intercept a Japanese force attempting to reinforce Guadalcanal. At 2305 the next night, she spotted six Japanese ships and the battle of Tassafaronga was opened by her 8-inch fire. Within 2 minutes, she had sunk an enemy transport; and her second group of four salvos, with those of another cruiser, sank a second enemy ship. Now, a second group of Japanese warships, which had been giving distant cover to the transport groups, entered the action, and MINNEAPOLIS took two torpedo hits, one on the port bow, the other in her number two fireroom, causing loss of power and severe damage: her bow was gone back to the chain pipes, her port side badly ruptured, and two firerooms open to the sea. Magnificent damage control work; and skillful seamanship kept her afloat and enabled her to reach Tulagi. There, camouflaged with palm fronds and shrubs to protect her from frequent air raids, she was temporarily repaired with the help of a Seabee unit stationed on the island, and was able to sail for extensive repairs at Mare Island.

By August 1943, MINNEAPOLIS was back in the Pacific for 20 months of frontline duty which would include every major Pacific operation save Iwo Jima. Her first was the bombardment of Wake 5 October, then 20 November to 4 December, she joined in the assault and capture of Makin in the Gilberts. In December, she screened a carrier group in the preinvasion strikes against Kwajalein and Majuro, serving on in the capture of the Marshalls into mid-February 1944. With the carriers blasting the Marianas and the Carolines, MINNEAPOLIS continued to guard them through raids on the Palaus, Truk, Satawan, Ponape, and other key Japanese bases into April. The latter raids were coordinated with the landings at Hollandia, New Guinea.

In May, MINNEAPOLIS prepared at Majuro for the assaults in the Marianas, firing on Saipan in preinvasion bombardment, 14 June. As word came that a large Japanese force was sailing to attempt a disruption of the operation, MINNEAPOLIS rejoined TF 58 to screen the carriers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19 and 20 June. As American aviators won another great victory, MINNEAPOLIS screened the carriers and provided antiaircraft fire. After taking a bomb miss close aboard, her crew again patched her up.

From 8 July to 9 August, MINNEAPOLIS brought her heavy guns to the support of the marines winning Guam back from the enemy. Firing deep support, night harassing, and call fire, she won grateful praise from Gen. A. H. Turnage, commanding the 3d Marine Division: “ . . . a prime factor in the success of this operation . . . a job well done.” From 8 September to 14 October, she gave similar essential aid to the capture of the Palaus, her operations at the close of that period preparing directly for the assault on Leyte. In the preinvasion bombardment force, she entered Leyte Gulf 17 October, and she downed five enemy planes during the initial resistance to the assault.

As the Japanese launched the three-pronged naval attack, which would develop into the Battle for Leyte Gulf, MINNEAPOLIS was assigned 24 October to Adm. Jesse B. Oldendorf's bombardment group with other cruisers and older battleships. With them she deployed across Surigao Strait that night, alert to any sign of contact with the enemy by the plucky PT-boats and destroyers fanned out ahead. As the Japanese ships steamed in column, they ignored the flank attacks of the smaller ships, heading straight for Oldendorf's battleline, which opened fire with an enormous coordinated salvo, immediately sinking the first of the two Japanese battleships they would conquer that night. Three destroyers were also sunk, and a heavy cruiser so badly damaged that aircraft could pick it off the next day. Admiral Oldendorf in this Battle of Surigao Strait had performed the classic maneuver of crossing the T, meeting the individual fire of the enemy with his own massed fire, and had won a victory as great as his brother admirals in the other three phases of this battle.

Continuing to alternate carrier screening and bombardment duties in the Philippines, MINNEAPOLIS was on the scene for the attack and landings at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, 4 to 18 January 1945 and the landings on Bataan and Corregidor 13 to 18 February. During March, she prepared for the assault on Okinawa, off which she arrived for preinvasion bombardment on the 25th. She fired at once on Kerama Rhetto, seized first in a brilliant move to provide a safe haven for ships during the assault on Okinawa proper. When the main invasion began 1 April, MINNEAPOLIS bombarded the Japanese airfield at Naha, rendering it useless to the enemy, then began call fire as ground forces pinpointed her targets by radio.

After months of such action, her gun barrels were worn so badly as to need replacement, and she prepared to sail 12 April. Her departure was delayed that day by the largest air attack yet of the Okinawa operation, during which she splashed four would-be kamikazes and watched three others crash harmlessly into the sea. At nightfall she sailed for Bremerton, Wash., where she repaired and replaced the linings of her gun barrels. Headed back for more action, she was in Subic Bay, Philippines, at the end of hostilities.

She flew the flag of Adm. Thomas Kincaid as he accepted the Japanese surrender of Korea 9 September, then patrolled the Yellow Sea, covering the landing of Marines at Taku and Chinwangtao, China. After carrying homeward bound veterans to the west coast, she sailed 14 January 1946 for the Panama Canal and Philadelphia. There she was placed in commission, in reserve, 21 May 1946, and out of commission, 10 February 1947. She was sold for scrapping 14 August 1959 to Union Metals and Alloys Corp.

MINNEAPOLIS received 16 battle stars [former crewmember reports 18 battle stars] for World War II service.

215 posted on 10/02/2002 2:39:30 PM PDT by aomagrat
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To: SAMWolf
Big guns in action!


216 posted on 10/02/2002 2:42:29 PM PDT by aomagrat
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To: radu
There's no OR! Tom's gone crazy AND What!!! Tee hee!
217 posted on 10/02/2002 2:43:20 PM PDT by BringingUpPatriots
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To: Snow Bunny
16 Battle Stars!
218 posted on 10/02/2002 2:45:06 PM PDT by aomagrat
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To: AntiJen; Snow Bunny
I see Eagles almost daily.Most often perched pretty far away. I have not been spending much tim at the USO lately. asmainegoes.com and other news keeps me hoppin mad. I even missed R&R in GA.
219 posted on 10/02/2002 3:07:08 PM PDT by larryjohnson
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To: BringingUpPatriots
Hee! I gotta agree. But that's what I like so much...the insanity! And the troops obviously like it, too. :-D
220 posted on 10/02/2002 3:11:44 PM PDT by radu
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