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

[LadyX]

A major difference is we did not have computers then, Dubya, and e-mail to be able to keep in contact with our loved ones.

I taught school that year, and just about EVERY night typed 10 - 20 pages to my husband so he would not miss a single thing we four at home were doing.

I was blessed with my then children 5 and 12 and 13, all being bright and well-behaved and good students.

It was a l-o-n-g year, never able to afford a phone call -
just lived for letters.....

[Pippin]

Hey!

Hello Julie!

Glad I'm not the only one here!

[GailA]

Here's one for you Pippin

To France With Love

Who Stands Alone
Author Unknown

Eleven thousand soldiers lay beneath the dirt and stone, all buried on a distant land so far away from home. For just a strip of dismal beach they paid a hero's price, to save a foreign nation they all made the sacrifice. And now the shores of Normandy are lined with blocks of white, Americans who didn't turn from someone else's plight. Eleven thousand reasons for the French to take our side, but in the moment of our need, they chose to run and hide. Chirac said every war means loss, perhaps for France that's true, for they've lost every battle since the days of Waterloo.

Without a soldier worth a damn to be found in the region, the French became the only land to need a Foreign Legion. You French all say we're arrogant. Well, hell, we've earned the right-- We saved your sorry nation when you lacked the guts to fight.

But now you've made a big mistake, and one that you'll regret; you took sides with our enemies, and that we won't forget.

It wasn't just our citizens you spit on when you turned, but every one of ours who fell the day the towers burned. You spit upon our soldiers, on our pilots and Marines, and now you'll get a little sense of just what payback means.

So keep your Paris fashions and your wine and your champagne, and find some other market that will buy your aeroplanes. And try to find somebody else to wear your French cologne, for you're about to find out what it means to stand alone.

You see, you need us far more than we ever needed you. America has better friends who know how to be true. I'd rather stand with warriors who have the will and might, than huddle in the dark with those whose only flag is white.

I'll take the Brits, the Aussies, the Israelis and the rest, for when it comes to valor we have seen that they're the best.

We'll count on one another as we face a moment dire, while you sit on the sideline with a sign "friendship for hire." We'll win this war without you and we'll total up the cost, and take it from your foreign aid, and then you'll feel the loss.

And when your nation starts to fall, well Frenchie, you can spare us, just call the Germans for a hand, they know the way to Paris.

[Pippin]

hi, LadyX!

[LadyX]

Drifting in and out, Pippin, handling mail - and I sent e-mail to you both, as a matter of fact!!

PLEASE listen to it, you two!!

You will understand after you do.

[Pippin]

hi, Gail!

That was great!

[Pippin]

Okay!

[LadyX]

You, Julie dear, are one of my very favorite persons!

Your untiring efforts are appreciated more than you know.....

[LadyX]

Especially grateful for all you do, too, Gail !!!

Your rally efforts are awesome....

[Pippin]

I saw the E-mail but I can't listen to it as I don't have audio.

I'm working on that though!

[LadyX]

Sorry I did not remember that, Pippin, in my being anxious to share it.
See the e-mail reply, though!

[TexasCowboy]

Hey, Pip!
Kinda reminds you of the hallway in your high school in the summertime, huh?
Lots of memories and echoes............

[JulieRNR21]

Your untiring efforts are appreciated more than you know.....

The motivation for those 'untiring efforts' is to make sure our brave troops never again suffer the abuse the Vietnam Veterans endured!

I was thrilled this week to get a response from the Marine I've been writing. He penned his letter just before entering Baghdad and he sent me a flag patch just like the one on his uniform.

He said that the troops are well aware of the media bias in reporting the anti-war peacniks while ignoring the overwhelming number of Rallies in support of the troops.

He was happy to get photos & news clippings of our Rallies and said that it does help their morale to know that we are all praying & supporting their efforts to keep us safe from terrorism and enjoying the blessings of liberty!

[LadyX]

I just had a flashback to a really bright moment when I was in the Marine Corps, Julie!

Stationed at Parris Island instructing recruits, I one weekend had a friend passing through the small town where my minister grandfather and grandmother lived, and thus had a ride to visit them.

He was in his 70's and still the minister of the church, and my grandmother played the organ.

Since it was 1952 and they were very proper, we as granddaughters always having to wear dresses and gloves and hats, I didn't really know how they regarded my having gone into the Corps!
I grew up in Florida and had visited them only a few times.

They were, as it turned out, tremendously proud, and insisted I wear my uniform to Sunday Services and dinner out afterward!

It was the sweetest of things to be placed on the front row and to listen to a cousin of mine as the soloist singing Bless This House..

It was so beautiful a day - - -

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you, Budge. :-)

[JustAmy]

Hey ....... I didn't know we were playing keepsies.

How could I have missed your ping? Guess that I wasn't here enough today.

((((( My Bro )))))

[Mama_Bear]

I've just returned from an exhilarating Support Our Troops rally in Fresno. Seemed to me the cheering and honks from the motorist were even louder and more energized than usual. It was fun.

Tame, it was great rallying with you, Tiffany and truthtracker again. I will ping you when we get our pictures posted.

Amy, it is always a treat getting together with you and the other ralliers - I'm glad we have decided not to discontinue them. (BTW, I completely forgot to give you the peck on the cheek that Louie sent for his 'Sis'...sorry. I'll save it for next time.)

Pippin, sorry you got left in here all by yourself tonight. :-(

Julie, bless you and patriots everywhere for standing tall in support of our military. You do so much - you are a very special lady. :-)

To everyone who came by our thread today....thank you! I will be posting the week in review thread tomorrow. Hope you all have a great weekend and if you have a minute, stop by and sit a spell. Until then.........

[tame]

It was great to see you all again. Baker's afterward was really a blessing for me! "tiffany's" shy, but she enjoyed it, and so did my mom.

I look forward to--and hope to make--the September BBQ.

I'm also glad it was decided to meet each week. You are all GREAT Americans:-)

[firewalk]

Good morning

[Aquamarine]

Have you seen this thread? A FReeper made a CD for the Troops out of all the rally pic's that were posted here in March and you can buy one for just 5 bucks. I bought two...one to keep and one to send to the Airman that I write to that's based in Italy right now...also made a small donation. Support Our Troops CD is ready to ship!