USO Canteen FReeper Style....FReeper FRiday....July 5,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

I joined the USAF in July of 1973. I went to Lackland AFB, Texas for training.

The Gang .......and Writing Home

I was the oldest recruit in my basic training class.

We graduated the last week of August 1973.
I was 23 years old and they made me dorm chief. (HBSIC, Head baby sitter in charge).

After Basic Training I went to Technical School at Goodfellow AFB, (San Angelo) Texas.

I was trained as a printer systems operator.

I went home in December 1973 and got married.

My first duty station was Karamursel, CDI Turkey.
In addition to my job I did a little of this. I'm the one on the right.

Mr. & Mrs. Militiaman7 at Air Force ball 1975.

Turkey was great, We had a lot of things to do.
Including touring Turkey, shopping in the bazaar in Istanbul.

In January 1976 my son ELMALO was born in Adana, Turkey (Incirlik CDI).

After Turkey I was assigned to Iraklion AS, Crete, Greece. Smack dab in the middle of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. We toured Greece and most of Europe while stationed there.

My next assignment was Offutt AFB, Nebraska. where I was crossed trained as a USAF Weather Observer. Here I am briefing the SAC Commander.

After Nebraska I was sent to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska as a printer system operator. I don't need to tell what an experience Alaska was. Hunting, Fishing and watching the Northern Lights at 30 below zero.

While in AK my two daughters where born.

From Alaska I was sent to school at Fort Mead, Maryland (NSA) and on to Misawa AB, Japan.

Next it was a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We was assigned to K.I. Sawyer AFB as a training manager. I got my first issue of BDU's here they were Army hand me downs. The AF didn't have them available yet.

I worked in the Security Police shop and also maintenance for B-52 and KC-135 Tankers.

Also at KI our foster daughter Marty joined the family.

My next duty was Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. I was the training manager for the Civil Engineer Squadron. We were on mobility status at Wright-Pat and did stuff like building an AF base from scratch out in the boonies.

We could go anywhere in the world with 9 hours notice build a AF base with runway, hospital, BX, housing, chow hall, everything to sustain a combat unit. My other part time jobs were Load Master for the C-5A and Snow Removal in the Winter time (Fun, Fun, Fun).

Back to Misawa next for two years then a Medivac flight to the USAF Regional Hospital at Travis AFB, California for 7 months then a final assignment at McDill AFB, Florida as a training manager for the F15 Squadron.

I retired from the USAF in August of 1993, Time served 20 years and 12 days.

I am now a DAV and a FREEPER ,
with four kids, 10 grandkids with number 11 due in November.

After lurking for about a year I joined FR in October 1998.

I have attended most of the major FR Rallies and functions in the DC area
and spent lots of hours doing the walk in front of the White House with
the DC Chapter. Also I have led several FREEPS in the SW Virginia area.

(With Bob Dornan at the Patriots Rally, April 20, 2002)

I am extremely grateful to be an American citizen.
I am proud of my service in the US Military.
I have been honored to serve with my fellow vets.

Thank you Militiaman7 for
serving our country.

[Pippin]

WOOF! WOOF! LOL!

[Pippin]

WE have a bird in our building! LOL!!

[Pippin]

WOOHOO!

[Mudboy Slim]

"...let her come play with us too!"

I would, but she thinks y'all are a bad influence on me...MUD

[SAMWolf]

Dear Mom: If you’re reading this, I didn’t write it

A belated “Happy Fourth of July,” everyone. I suppose it’s time to roll out my annual joke: My family is so dysfunctional that on the Fourth of July we celebrate Codependence Day.

Of course, this year, patriotic emotions ran higher than normal. I’ve been thinking a lot about the two Americas, and I don’t mean North and South.

The first America is an almost mythical place that we keep in our hearts. It’s where jazz came from. It’s where Babe Ruth played ball. The second America is the real-life version that we follow in the news every day — the global superpower.

Nothing the U.S. government could ever do would interfere with our feelings about the first America. That’s the one with Mom and apple pie. So why am I going to take this occasion to disobey my mother? Simple: I’ve had it.

I’ve asked her repeatedly if I could write a column about her, but she won’t budge. She doesn’t want the recognition. Why? It’s a “Greatest Generation” thing.

If I were to write a column about her — hypothetically, that is — I would go on and on about how she comforted thousands of wounded soldiers as a Red Cross recreation worker during World War II.

There’s probably a soldier from Portland, who was consoled by my mom in a hospital ward on the East Coast or in France during the war. She didn’t nurse their physical wounds, but she helped them pull their emotions back together after they suffered some horrific injuries.

Can you imagine the advantage that gave me? How about those times when you’re frightened as a child? In my case, into the room would walk an American heroine who knew exactly when to be loving and when to tell you to shape up.

My mom was a dispenser of courage.

I remember talking to her about Bob Dole one time. She said, “I knew a lot of guys who were hurt a lot worse and handled it a lot better.” That’s a fairly shocking statement — the guy did become a senator. But you know, he does have an emotionally wounded quality to him.

I’m convinced that if he had gotten to talk with my mother during the first few days after being wounded, he would have been completely different. She imparted strength the way a doctor hands out medicine.

Not that she came through it emotionally unscathed. Hardly.

She still can’t handle Memorial Day parades or anything that brings back the images. She’s haunted by specific individuals, such as the young man with his chin shot off who was psychologically devastated, wondering if any woman would ever find him attractive again. As she concluded her talk, she told him to “keep his chin up.” That innocent mistake still makes her wince in pain.

A couple of years ago, she told me for the first time what it was like to meet planeload after planeload of freshly wounded GIs coming back from D-Day. More than half a century had passed, and she was ready to talk about it. That same week, she had a big tree that was threatening the house chopped down. My siblings and I figured that it was all connected.

The two Americas also are connected. They both combine legend and harsh reality. They both have Moms and apple pie.

Just don’t tell my mother where you read it.

Bill McDonald is a Portland writer and musician.

[Lil'freeper]

There are many things FReepers can do to help support our military.

Indeed- my serviceman gets a kiss every day....several actually.

[Jen]

"bad influence" - US???? Nooooooooooooooooo! hehehehe

[SAMWolf]

What kind of bird?

[LadyX]

I always look forward to the Friday Feature.

Militiaman, your service record is outstanding, and your family beautiful.
So glad to 'meet' you here!

[SAMWolf]

If the Germans won at Kursk there may have been a chance for a negotiated peace on the Eastern Front.

Germany's loss caused them to lose the Strategic initiative for the rest of the war in the East. They also depleted their carefully built up Panzer forces.

Unclassified documemts from the Soviet Union are now showing that Germany came closer to winning at Kursk than was believed at the time.

"We have a lot to thank the Red Army for"

True, though many Americans don't want to admit it.
The Russians tied down the bulk of the German forces during the war. Imagine the Normandy landings if Germany had all those units available in France on June 6th.

[Light Speed]

Great post Linda...especially the Kursk photo's.
There was a documentary series by Daniel Yergin called "The Prize"..based from his book by same name.
The first doc deals with Hitlers drive to obtain the Caucuses oilfields....Germany's need for oil..as the captured fuel in France had been exasted,Rommel had failed to swing up to the Caucuse region via the south..and I.G.Farbins failure to produce sufficient synthetic fuels.
Historians muse that Hitler could have had the oil, had he not wasted so many soldiers,assets and time at Stalingrad.
The 2nd doc follows the development of oil in the Persian Gulf region...its influence on many states..and the eventual wars.
Like Germany..Japan was exhausted of fuels for military /economic use.
By 1945...Japanese civilians were cutting down tree's by the tens of thousands ..to crush the pines..and obtain "Turpentine"...to fuel a Kamikaze for a one way trip to suicide an American warship off Japanese coastal waters..
Several hundred pinetree roots were required to fuel just one kamikaze.
Oil..is the great untold story of WW-2

[LadyX]

Good afternoon, Snow Bunny!

I just saw your description of your celebration yesterday - it sounded wonderful!

I was asleep when you posted it, and up and away quite early to go to Augusta for a medical appointment, trying now to catch up.
Might slip away for a nap and be back this evening...:))

(((HUGS))) to Da Bunny ~ ~ ~

[SAMWolf]

It would have been tough and neither side would ever trust each other, probably closer to a truce than a peace, but both sides were getting pretty war weary by then.

The losses to Russia, while awful, could have been made up but politcally and morale wise the blow to Russia would have been enourmous, considering their foreknowledge of the attack.

I think all the best either side could have hoped for was a ceasation of hostilities while both used it a a breathing space to prepare for a continued fight later.

[Light Speed]

Hi Sam
Watched an exstensive documentary on Kursk last year..with newly appraised info.
Germany had infact broken the Russian tank divisions...with an attrition rate of nearly 5 Russian tanks to 1 German..the numerics were there...the Germans failed to work the numbers..and capitilize on Russian sectors which had actually collapsed.
Ordinance resupply hurt the Wermacht divisions...and of course..Hitlers refusal to let division command freelance without approval.
German tanks tore the Russian Red army to pieces...but Tigers and the new Panther Aus 5's consumed way to much fuel..and were prone to breakdown.
Confusion in the end..was Germany's undoing...
Looking back....I can see the Hand of the Almighty here.

[SAMWolf]

Russia had a very hard time dealing with the Tigers. Even the T-34 had to close in. As long as the Germans were able to use the long range of the Tigers' 88 and the Panthers' 75 they were devastating to the Russian armor.

This was the intoduction of the Panther innto battle, my all time favorite tank, and it had a lot of teething problems, the offensive was even delayed in order to have more Panthers availble. Once the bugs were worked out of the Panther was one of the best tanks in the world. A litte thin on side armor, but a deadly combination of speed, gun and armor for it's time.

[tomkow6]

What's LOVE got to do with it? It's just a second hand emotion..........