USO Canteen FReeper Style....Monday...March 25,2002

USO Canteen Freeper Style

War has come to our shores. It was committed on American soil. We have been able to live in Freedom only because of those who have fought in the past wars giving life, limb and all the sacrifices for us to live in Freedom and go about our day without fear.

On September 11, 2001, that comfort, that feeling of living in a land that would not be attacked ended.

William T. Sherman said it succinctly, "War is hell."

The day has come for this Nation and its people to understand that there is a risk in losing its freedom, and in reality there always has been. We have ONLY stayed free because of the sacrifices of our military, our warriors.

This is about saving the future of America. Aristotle said, "We make war that we may live in peace."

We are seeing the American Flag flying at homes now more than ever in my lifetime. We are seeing the American Flag flying on vehicles and people wearing Flag pins and small Flags on their clothes. America is united in the cause for Freedom and for our country to WIN against the evil that came upon our land to kill and hurt us. To change our way of life and to destroy America which is US, you and me. To take away our precious Freedom.

This is the Freeper version of the USO Canteen. Where soldiers could come and feel a small part of being at home. It is a place where you that have family in the military can post a thought to a loved one that might be able to read it far away from home. A place where we that support our military can help support them, post to them, fun graphics showing the price in America and our troops. Poems, quotes, cartoons, or articles of how America is behind our troops.

Those in our military are our Nation's warriors. Let us join hands, fly our Flag and let the world know how important our warriors are to us....And that our MILITARY, our Warriors, are America's TRUE HEROS!

"No Marine was ever honored for what they received. Honor was the reward for what they gave." (Anonymous) CHIEF gave his all in many ways. He touched our lives and his friendship meant so much to all of us. He will live in our hearts forever, and his friendship will always be a bright and shining memory in our hearts and souls.

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Thanks freepers.

Whenever the part in "Saving Private Ryan" comes on where the mother is washing dishes in her kitchen, and sees the olive drab sedan pulling down the drive,I think of what my Granny must have felt, and I lose it.

I would love to find a copy of the letter that was read in the movie. It was from President Lincoln to a Mother who had lost 3 sons in the same battle.It went something like;

Dear Mrs. Jones,

Let me say that I am very, deeply sorry for your loss of not one, but 3 of your sons. That is more than your country should ask for. However, you should consider it a priviledge to have lain such a great sacrifice upon the alter of freedom. chillbumps/off.

I'll stand here beside you,

and defend Her still today,

for their ain't no doubt I love this land,

God bless the U.S.A.

Lee Greenwood

THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER
Dedicated to the memory of
T/Sgt. Richard M. Cole Jr. MIA 6/18/72
By Beverly Haire © 1998

I am a whisper on the wind, of times past, of places long forgotton. . .
Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, A Shau, Saigon, Laos
Cambodia, Kuwait, Bosnia.
I am the heart of countless numbers of scarred and maimed veterans,
and the soul of the buried unknown.

I am an integral part of each white cross in Flanders Field. . .
and am sealed within each name on THE WALL. I am part of each
and every headstone, either real or imagined,
of every American soldier in every burial place in the world.

I am deeply enmeshed in each tiny undiscovered bone fragment
of American soldiers. . .left behind on foreign soil.
I am the unseen shadows, the unheard voices in those many empty cells,
cages, compounds and camps, that once held my brothers
in unspeakable torture.

I am the unbearable pain in the hearts of every mother, father, wife,
sister, brother and child. ..
of missing American soldiers from all wars.
I am within each drop of blood the soldiers shed,
and I am within each of the millions of tears shed in their behalf.

I am the essence of each cry of pain, each bead of sweat,
each moment of death. . .of each and every American soldier
of the past or future.
I am the lifeblood of the colors of the American flag,
blue for my loyalty, white for my steadfastness, red for my pride.

I am the spirit of those many names on the black granite wall. . .
of those unaccounted for from all wars,
of those who went away to war as gallant young men and women,
and came back, older than time. . .OR NOT AT ALL.
I AM . . . THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER!

The
"MEDIC" & "CREWCHIEF"
DUSTOFF Personified

It's been said that when DUSTOFF pilots are flying, they talk about women --
and when they're with women, they talk about flying ---

But when they tell war stories of the "You Had To Be There" calibre, the subject usually locks in on the feats of their grungy MEDIC and CREWCHIEF.

As DUSTOFF pilots in Vietnam, our task was to insure that timely medical care was delivered to the wounded; a job that was probably helped along by having a bent for foxy flying and being a button short ---

The "medical care" we "delivered" was a different story -- ---

Our "Medic and Crewchief team" aboard was the precious cargo for whom the wounded watched and prayed --

Through the plexiglass we've watched them ----
and we've watched the wounded watch them ---
with litter and weapon in hand, trudge through waist-deep rice paddies, through tangled jungle growth, up rocky mountainsides, hang from skids with outstretched hand, jump to watery depths, tear into burning cockpits, hug a jungle penetrator as it takes them through triple canopy --
all too often under withering enemy fire.

We've watched both as they've emptied clips into treelines, bunkers and jungled hideouts --
buying altitude --
before turning to continue tending the wounded, halt hemorrhage, close a sucking chest, start fluids, calm hysteria, breath life, cuddle babies maimed.

As their wounded were off-loaded to definitive care--
we've watched the "thumbs up" as their tired eyes and muddy faces grin at a life given --

and too often we've watched a sudden stiffness --
a desperation --
as they carefully --
almost reverently --
slide a lifeless litter from the hold ---
then resignation ---
then --
"clear on the right"! --
and back to the job --

Leaving the flightline at mission's end, we've turned and watched both -
in searing heat or monsoon storms and dead of night --
tie the blade, check the damage, hose the red from their rotten smelling station --
refit gear and ammo, and begin the tedious and demanding postflight or the too-often twenty five hour inspection. --

And we get the "high sign" as we yell, "We'll save chow!"

Then as we trot back to the flight line as quickly as we'd left, we watched their fatigue unveil as we yelled, "Wind'er up! - got C's on board?" --

and we watched them suck-it-up --
again --
and scurry to lift off --
again --

to save a poor soul --

again -- again -- and again ----

As a DUSTOFF pilot, it has been my greatest honor to serve with this
awe-inspiring team and be a part of it.

SiSimmons

earth.vol.com/~psysim/dustoff.htm

HI viligantcitizen, not sure if this is the letter you are speaking of. But I sure thank you.

Washington, November 21, 1864. To Mrs. Bixby,

Boston, Massachusetts.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully

Per files of the War Department shown to President Lincoln in November 1864

The Sons of Oliver C. & Lydia Parker Bixby

Sgt. Charles N. Bixby - Co. D, 20th MA (18 Jul 1861-3 May 1863)

Pvt. Oliver C. Bixby, Jr.- Co. E, 58th MA (26 Feb1864-30 Jul 1864)

Cpl. Henry C. Bixby - Co. K, 32nd MA (1862-1864)

Cpl. George A. Bixby - Co. H, 25th MA (17 Sep 1861-7 Jul 1864)

Pvt. Arthur Edward Bixby - Co. C, MA 1st Hvy Artillery (24 Jun 1861-28 May 1862)

Yes Ms. Bunny, that is exactly the one.

May I express my deepest gratitude. It is copied and saved.:)

And for 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub and all the other Vietnam Veteran freepers, you guys are very special for serving your country when it wasn't the most popular thing to do. During ww2, civil war, and like today, patriotism ran very high, making the decision to fight much easier than Vietnam. You guys deserved a thousand times better than what you came home to.

There is a USMC Vietnam Vet at work who was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. Tough old bird misses less work than anybody else, and don't know the meaning of the word," slow down a dang minute". And he has the means to have retire, comfortably. His toughness is symbolic of the vietnam generation that preceded me by 10 or so years. I admire and look up to you guys.

Hey 69 Tonk, was the Navy Corpsman school At Great Lakes when you went to gun school? (Memories...grin)

Nurse shenanigans.:')

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