Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.
New Thread's Up!! WOOHOOO!!!
First?
Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.
July 6, 2006
| LISTEN TO ODB RADIO: Real | MP3 | WMA |
It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing. —2 Samuel 16:12
Unlike David in 2 Samuel 16, we like to take revenge, silence our critics, insist on fairness, and set everything right. But David told those who wanted to defend him: “Let [Shimei] alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him” (v.11).
It seems to me that as the years go by, we grow—as David did—in the awareness of God’s protective love. We become less concerned with what others say about us and more willing to give ourselves over to our Father. We learn humble submission to God’s will.
We may, of course, ask our opponents to justify their charges, or we may meet them with steadfast denial if they charge us falsely. But when we have done all we can do, the only thing left is to wait patiently until God vindicates us.
In the meantime, it’s good to look beyond the words of those who vilify us to the will of the One who loves us with infinite love. We need to say that whatever God permits is for His ultimate good in us or in others—even though our hearts break and we shed bitter tears.
You’re in God’s hands, no matter what others say about you. He sees your distress, and in time will repay you with good. Trust Him and abide in His love.
Bible in One Year: Bible in One Year: Job 32-33; Acts 14
Thanks for today's thread!
My Military Service
See Radix Run
Run Radix Run
Run Run Run
Front lean and rest
Drop and give 20
Drop and give 30
Drop and 50
Drop and give infinity.
Run Run Run
After a few green eggs and practice with a floor polisher and regular visits to the PX for decent haircuts.....
I had one of the cushiest Army jobs that anyone has ever seen in the history of the world. It was not glamorous, but it was a cakewalk.
Glad to see you back Sarge!
Thank you for what you do for me.
194th Armor BDE; D Battery 2nd of the 1st ADA
Enlisted: 75 - 78
Kerry served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1970. His 2nd tour of duty in Vietnam was four months as commanding officer of a Swift boat. Kerry was awarded several medals during this tour, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Kerry's military record has received considerable praise and criticism during his political career, especially during his unsuccessful 2004 bid for the presidency.
[edit]
Commission, training, and tour of duty on the USS Gridley
Historian Douglas Brinkley wrote Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War.On February 18, 1966, Kerry enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve. [7] He began his active duty military service on August 19. After completing sixteen weeks of Officer Candidate School at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Newport, Rhode Island, Kerry received his officer's commission on December 16. In 2005, Kerry at last released his full military and medical records. [8]
Kerry's first tour of duty was as an ensign on the guided missile frigate USS Gridley. On February 9, 1968, the Gridley set sail for a Western Pacific deployment. The next day, Kerry requested duty in Vietnam, listing as his first preference a position as the commander of a Fast Patrol Craft (PCF), also known as a "Swift boat." These 50-foot boats have aluminum hulls and have little or no armor, but are heavily armed and rely on speed. (Kerry's second choice was to be an officer in a river patrol boat, or "PBR", squadron.) "I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry said in a book of Vietnam reminiscences published in 1986. "When I signed up for the swift boats, they had very little to do with the war. They were engaged in coastal patrolling and that's what I thought I was going to be doing." [9]
The Gridley sailed to several places, including Wellington in New Zealand, Subic Bay in the Philippines, and the Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnam. The executive officer of the Gridley has described the deployment: "We deployed from San Diego to the Vietnam theatre in early 1968 after only a six-month turnaround and spent most of a four month deployment on rescue station in the Gulf of Tonkin, standing by to pick up downed aviators." [10] The ship departed for the U.S. on May 27 and returned to port at Long Beach, California on June 6. Ten days after returning, on June 16, Kerry was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, junior grade. On June 20, he left the Gridley for Swift boat training at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado.
[edit]
Kerry's tour of duty as commander of a Swift boat
On November 17, 1968, Kerry reported for duty at Coastal Squadron 1 in Cam Ranh Bay in South Vietnam. In his role as an officer in charge of Swift boats, Kerry led five-man crews on a number of patrols into enemy-controlled areas. His first command was Swift boat PCF-44, from December 6, 1968 to January 21, 1969, when the crew was disbanded. They were based at Coastal Division 13 at Cat Lo from December 13 to January 6. Otherwise, they were stationed at Coastal Division 11 at An Thoi. On January 30, Kerry took charge of PCF-94 and its crew, which he led until he departed An Thoi on March 26 and the crew was disbanded. [11]
On January 22, 1969, Kerry and several other officers had a meeting in Saigon with Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, the commander of U.S. Naval forces in Vietnam, and U.S. Army General Creighton Abrams, the overall commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam. Kerry and the other officers reported that the "free-fire zone" policy was alienating the Vietnamese and that the Swift boats' actions were not accomplishing their ostensible goal of interdicting Viet Cong supply lines. As they saw it, Kerry and the other visiting officers' concerns were dismissed with what amounted to a pep talk. [citation needed]
[edit]
Military honors
During the night of December 2, 1968 and early morning of December 3, Kerry was in charge of a small boat operating near a peninsula north of Cam Ranh Bay together with a Swift boat (PCF-60). Kerry's boat surprised a group of men unloading sampans at a river crossing, who began running and failed to obey an order to stop. As the men fled, Kerry and his crew of two sailors opened fire on the sampans and destroyed them, then rapidly left. During this encounter, Kerry suffered a shrapnel wound in the left arm above the elbow. It was for this injury, that Kerry received his first Purple Heart.
Kerry received his second Purple Heart for a wound received in action on the Bo De River on February 20, 1969. The plan had been for the Swift boats to be accompanied by support helicopters. On the way up the Bo De, however, the helicopters were attacked. They returned to their base to refuel and were unable to return to the mission for several hours.
As the Swift boats reached the Cua Lon River, Kerry's boat was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade round, and a piece of shrapnel hit Kerry's left leg, wounding him. Thereafter, they had no more trouble, and reached the Gulf of Thailand safely. Kerry still has shrapnel in his left thigh because the doctors tending to him decided to remove the damaged tissue and close the wound with sutures rather than make a wide opening to remove the shrapnel. Kerry received his second Purple Heart for this injury, but he did not lose any time off from duty.
Kerry with his crew after the medal ceremony, March 6, 1969. Top, from left: Del Sandusky, John Kerry, Gene Thorson, Thomas Belodeau. Bottom, from left: Mike Medeiros and Fred Short.Eight days later, on February 28, came the events for which Kerry was awarded his Silver Star. On this occasion, Kerry was in tactical command of his Swift boat and two others. Their mission included bringing a demolition team and dozens of South Vietnamese soldiers to destroy enemy sampans, structures and bunkers. Along the Bay Hap river, they ran into an ambush. Kerry directed the boats "to turn to the beach and charge the Viet Cong positions" and he "expertly directed" his boat's fire and coordinated the deployment of the South Vietnamese troops, according to Admiral Zumwalt's original medal citation. [12]
After the South Vietnamese troops and a team of three U.S. Army advisors that were with them had disembarked at the ambush site, Kerry's boat and another headed up river to look for the fleeing enemy. The two boats came under fire from a Viet Cong rocket-propelled grenade, shattering the crew cabin windows of PCF-94. Kerry ordered the boats to turn and charge the second ambush site. As they reached the shore, a Viet Cong soldier jumped out of the brush, carrying an RPG launcher. With the enemy soldier only a short distance away from the boat and crew, forward gunner Tommy Belodeau shot him in the leg with the boat's 7.62x51 caliber M-60 machine gun. Belodeau's machine gun jammed after he fired, and while fellow crewmate Michael Medeiros attempted to fire, he was unable to do so. Kerry leaped ashore followed by Medeiros. As they pursued the fleeing Viet Cong soldier, Kerry shot and killed him with rifle fire.
Kerry's commanding officer, Lieutenant George Elliott, joked that he didn't know whether to court-martial him for beaching the boat without orders or give him a medal for saving the crew. Elliott recommended Kerry for the Silver Star, and Zumwalt flew into An Thoi to personally award medals to Kerry and the rest of the sailors involved in the mission. The Navy's account of Kerry's actions is presented in the original medal citation signed by Zumwalt. In addition, the after-action reports for this mission are available, along with the original press release written on March 1, a historical summary dated March 17, and more. [13]
Kerry is awarded the Bronze Star. For his service during the Vietnam War, Kerry also received the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.On March 13, five Swift boats were returning to base together on the Bay Hap river from their missions that day. A mine detonated directly beneath one of the boats (PCF-3), lifting it into the air. Shortly thereafter, another mine exploded near Kerry's boat (PCF-94).
James Rassmann, a Green Beret advisor who was sitting on the deck of the pilothouse, was knocked overboard. Rassmann dived to the bottom of the river. Coming back up for air, the enemy repeatedly fired at him. Rassmann was heading to the north bank, expecting to be taken prisoner, when Kerry realized he was gone and came back for him. Kerry's Bronze Star was awarded for recognized bravery in rescuing Rassman while under fire.
After the crew of PCF-3 had been rescued, PCFs 43 and 23 left the scene to evacuate the four most seriously wounded sailors. PCFs 51 and 94 remained behind and helped salvage the stricken boat together with a damage-control party that had been immediately dispatched to the scene.
During this encounter Kerry sustained shrapnel wounds, leading to his 3rd Purple Heart.
Thank you Sarge, and all our Troops and Veterans for their service to our Country.
Great thread, looking forward to reading all!
*HUGS*
A Marine stands watch on the flight deck of the USS Iwo Jima while the ship passes through the Suez Canal on July 4. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. James H. Frank
Staff Sgt. Jason Elson, assistant paraloft chief, prepares to jump as part of his Tandem Offset Resupply Delivery System qualification. The TORDS program, also called bundle jumping, allows Marines to deliver gear inside a bundle or other container attached to them as they descend. For this training, the Marines built their own delivery system consisting of plastic barrels containing 350 pounds of sand. This weight simulated what the recon Marines might deliver during actual missions, such as food, water, weapons and ammunition. Along with the barrel, special harnesses are also designed to distribute the weight while falling with such a heavy load.
Colonel Robert R. Danko, 1st Marine Logistics Group, cuts the ribbon at the new Disbursing office's opening-day ceremony at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, June 15, 2006. Photo by: Sgt. Enrique S. Diaz
Thank you for your servcie to your country Sarge!
You ROCK!!
Ms.B
Okay, it's my turn:
1983 - Ft. Bragg, NC - First ROTC Region Cadet Camp
1984 - Commissioned 2LT
1985 - MI OBC at Ft. Huachuca, AZ
1985/89 - Ft. Knox, KY - The old M60A3, the M577 Armored Command Post, and the old Four-Deuce Mortar, M151 Jeeps, and got my first email in 1987
1989 - back to Huachuca for MI OAC
1990 - Ft. Bliss, 1/3 ACR and the first Gulf War
1990/97 - IRR
XMAS 97 - into the Nat'l Guard as an E-5, 96R20
1999 - moved to KY, learned 13F and told the REAL BIG GUNS where to shoot
2001 - re-joined MI just in time...
2004 to 2006 - Sarge's Most Excellent Adventure (OIF)
And now you know!
Only 68,000 pounds loaded. BTW, that's 5,000 gallons of jet fuel. No smoking please, and Aim High(er).
USN 1976 - 1997
I am a Submariner, so the biggest vehicle I "drove" is a 365' 688 Class Attack Sub. I remember the days of 40-word "family grams". You got 4 chits to give to your wife/family. These would last you 6 months. They could fill out 40 words and deliver it to squadron. Some Radioman would transcribe these into a message that you would get from a week to a month later.
Oh, and they were only one way, you waited until you were in port to call, long distance, international, no calling cards, $$$.
Currently on shore duty (slacking off), but I have done everything from tracking Soviet Subs in the Med (and other places) to firing some of the missiles that took out Saddam's palace in March '03.
