A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...4-25-03....Whiskered Warriors and Flippered Friends

Billie and Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

<

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 1A: TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

Today's featured "Finest"
in the spotlight are

Some of the most interesting news stories reported during Operation Iraqi Freedom were of the specially trained dolphins helping the Coalition forces locate mines near the port of Umm Qasr.

I thought it appropriate that the dolphins and sea lions deployed with our military receive recognition and official status as "Finest Friends" for their invaluable contribution to the war effort.

The U.S. Navy's Marine Mammal Program boasts a unit of 20 crack sea lions as well as about 70 dolphins specially-trained to defend and protect US sailors and installations from explosive marine attacks.

Meet "K-Dog"

A Navy dolphin, K-Dog, shows Sgt. Andrew Garrett what he's learned as he trains near the USS Gunston Hall, in the Persian Gulf.

In order for President Bush's promise of massive humanitarian aid for the Iraqis to materialize, the port of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq needed to be cleared of mines for safe travel.

And when the harbor, which was mined by the Iraqis to hamper a U.S. invasion, was opened, it was due in no small measure to the efforts of a pair of bottle-nosed Atlantic dolphins; Makai and Tacoma. These mine-sniffing dolphins are part of the U.S. military's Mammal Maritime Unit.

Until the marine mammals arrived, clearing the mines was the job of the British. They located the mines by hand, and many said swimming in the port was like crawling around in mud with your eyes shut.

Though the Navy has been training dolphins for years, this is their first operational deployment. With their natural sonar systems, the dolphins can detect mines even under the most difficult conditions.

The deployment of dolphins and sea lions to a war zone is not without controversy, however these dolphin have been specially taught to avoid touching the mines, which might cause them to explode, said Capt. Mike Tillotson, a Navy bomb disposal expert. He said there is "very little risk to animals in doing this kind of work".

Signalman 2nd Class (DV) Bud Bickford, a mammal handler from Commander Task Unit 55.4.3, brushes the teeth of a bottlenose dolphin, Makai, in the well deck of the dock landing ship Gunston Hall in the Persian Gulf on March 17. "Basically, he’ll work as long as his attitude feels up to it."

Sea Lions play secret
agent overseas...


Meet "Zachary"

While the U.S. Navy has used sea lions for recovery missions for the last 30 years, some of them are now being retrained to not only to detect enemy divers, but to catch them too.

"We train a select small set of sea lions to actually find divers and attach recovery lines to the divers" to allow them to be captured, said Tom LaPuzza who has run the mammal program since its inception in 1960.

"Those are the sea lions that are in Bahrain. This is a new capability that we are demonstrating for the first time," he said adding that if the new recruits did well in their test, they could be used to protect U.S. harbors.

The yelping secret agents are trained to attach a restraint device — a C-shaped, handcuff-like clamp — to the leg of an intruder with their mouths before deploying a floating marker signaling the attacker's position.

These whiskered warriors can swim at 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour) and carry out repeated dives of up to 300 meters (1000 feet).

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 04-21-03 Buster (A Nose for Danger) 04-22-03 daughterofTGSL (Stormy Weather) 04-23-03 cmsgop (Up Close & Personal) 04-24-03 JohnHuang2(John's Two Cents)

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar. 2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up. 3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit. 4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it. 5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[ST.LOUIE1]

Oh! That's right, ok with the Cheetos then. LOL

Good, I love them! Even though the Cheeto dust makes a terrible mess on my paws, LOL.

LOL yeah, and on my whiskers too. Don't you dare say it! Snorf

I don't like Brie either........it just SOUNDS like it should go with champaign. :-)

If you say so. : )

[dansangel]

To all, it seemed as if the Lord had sent them as His escorts for the Journey Home for the beloved.

Wow. That was certainly a powerful message, ((((((LadyX))))))

.45MAN and I visited Beaufort in Oct. 2001 (weeks after 9-11) and stayed at the Rhett House B&B. It was absolutely lovely. We climbed Hunting Island lighthouse, as well. I can picture the setting of your beautiful story.

[Pippin]

You, Too!

Say hi to Sassy!

[dansangel]

I *LOVE* that graphic, (((((((((jwfiv))))))))

They are the most graceful and exquisite of the sea mammals!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Great! I'll tell you all about wolfie - over a bottle of champagne some night. LOL

Whoo-hoo! (Just make sure it's domestic, OK?) :-)

Yep, daisy already gave me orders. LOL

Nice seeing you *live*, toots. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

Grrrrrrr!

Stop that! You're a bad little hobbit. : )

[dansangel]

I have it on my 'must do' list if the opportunity ever comes up again. :-)

There's a place on Islamorada in the Keys of FL where you can swim with the dolphins. I'd love to do that someday, maybe one day after we move back. They are gentle and very wise creatures.

Too bad humans can't take a lesson!

[ST.LOUIE1]

I suppose you want me to cook them?

You weren't goin' to? Raw shrimp....Gack!!!!

[dansangel]

Nice seeing you *live*, toots. : )

That goes for me, too! :-)

[Pippin]

Of course I was going to cook them! LOL! (what do you mean "bad little hobbit"?)

[jwfiv]

Hey, Maggie Malone...)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Nice seeing you *live*, toots. : )

That goes for me, too! :-)

Well that's a given. Ohhhhhh.....wolfie said that...not Louie. Sorry, just slipped out. : (

[ST.LOUIE1]

Of course I was going to cook them! LOL!

Whew! : )

(what do you mean "bad little hobbit"?)

Because you "grrrrr'd" at kneezles and me. LOL

[dansangel]

Well that's a given. Ohhhhhh.....wolfie said that...not Louie. Sorry, just slipped out. : (

Wolfie is part of the "Louie_Wolfie_Man" package! Of course he's forgiven! LOL!!

Hmmmm....I went to find my purple fuzzy and I can't access my files on Domania....*Now* what's up.....)

[Diver Dave]

KEWL picture, jk.

A friend and I once went up to the bow of our ship and leaned over the bow and snapped photos of two dolphins/porpoises as they raced along on either side of the bow as it cut through the water. The bow was about 25-30' above the waterline. The OOD chased us off - thought it was too dangerous leaning over the bow like that. Made a really impressive photo, though. Just wish I still had the photos.

Fascinating creatures those dolphins. Them, albatros and flying fish captured my attention many times when we were sailing between ports.

Sea Fever

John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

[LadyX]

I spent a lot of time at Hunting Island when I was stationed at Parris Island, dansy - - returned there five years ago for the first time - ah, the memories evoked of a very young Maggie - - - able to swim and leap and cavort with ease..:))
(Yes - I'm taking good care of the right foot..:))

[ST.LOUIE1]

Well that's a given. Ohhhhhh.....wolfie said that...not Louie. Sorry, just slipped out. : (

Wolfie is part of the "Louie_Wolfie_Man" package! Of course he's forgiven! LOL!!

Thank yooou, sweet dansy. : )

Hmmmm....I went to find my purple fuzzy and I can't access my files on Domania....*Now* what's up.....)

Mama_Bear said she was having a bit of a prob this morning. It's been fine for me.

[dansangel]

I'm glad purple fuzzy is OK. (LOL)

Mama_Bear said she was having a bit of a prob this morning. It's been fine for me.

When I log in, it sends me to the Member's Page, but access to my files isn't there. Is that what it did to you, M_B?

[dansangel]

(Yes - I'm taking good care of the right foot..:))

[shaking a finger at you] - You'd *better* be, sweet {{{{{{{{LadyX}}}}}}}}}

[Mama_Bear]

LOL yeah, and on my whiskers too. Don't you dare say it! Snorf

:-) Not to worry, fuzzy is smarter than she looks. ;-) LOL!

:-) SNORF!