USO Canteen FReeper FRiday....ALOHA RONNIE.......July 19,2002

ALOHA RONNIE and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family,
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank them.
Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper Style,
are thankful for every service member
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
in both times of war and peace, thank you.

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Message from Snow Bunny to all those who visit the Canteen.

This is how I think of the USO Canteen Freeper Style.
It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night.

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too.
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of place
that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, a library, etc.

Many Veterans have written to me,
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they served.

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy
and sometimes troubling world.
Make yourself at home.

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The USO Canteen Honors FReepers
who have served,
or are now serving their country.

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You may have a loved one who has served in the past.
We at the FReeper USO Canteen would like to honor each and every one.

I DRANG'.. 1st Cav Licensed Mustang with ALOHA RONNIE Guyer in front of his home at Christmas with Lights Home,
American Flag ..Cross ..
'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. Cap -&- all

ALOHA RONNIE
Ronnie Guyer, Sp/4
HHC, 1/7th Cav 1965-66
Vet/Battle of IA DRANG-1965 - LZ Falcon

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother."

Shakespeare, Henry V

IA DRANG S-1 Personnel Clerk
After IA DRANG-1965 I typed up Lt. Col. HAL G. MOORE's Letters of
Condolances to the Hero families of our many Hero KIA -&- WIA Soldiers

ALOHA RONNIE was Lt. Col. HAL G. MOORE's
personal Radioman/Driver/Orderly right up to
IA DRANG-1965 Campaign

In November 1965, 450 U.S. soldiers were dropped
into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley.
They were surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers.

CH-47 Chinook and S-2/3 Personnel HHC, 1/7 Cav above hill west of Bong Son-Operation White Wing/Masher April 1966

PleiMi.jpg = SP/4 Ronald W. Guyer (HHC, 1/7 S-1 Clerk) standing at entrance to Plei Me Special Forces Camp awaiting AirLift to LZ Falcon IA DRANG Valley 14 Nov 65

Commo Platoon HHC, 1/7 Cav resting in Bong Son Farm backyard, March 1966. (Paul Smith's Group)

SP/4 Ronald W. Guyer standing with a visiting young Senator TED KENNEDY at 1st Cav Div HQ October 1965

First Light 14 Nov 65 at French Fortress east of Plei Me Special Forces Camp / Lt. Col. Hal Moore planning Air Assault into LZ X-Ray 30' to my right front.

Up close picture of Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore taken in 1/7 Cav Battalion Area at An Khe just before or after our Plei Me-IA DRANG Operation, late 1965.

LZ FALCON, a smiling and Victorious Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore newly extracted from LZ X-RAY, along with the 1/7 Cav, thanking the HHC Medical Aid Men for their work at LZ X-RAY.

LZ FALCON, Helmeted Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore thanking 1/7 Cav Battalion surgeon Capt. Robert Carrara for his valiant and heroic work at LZ X-RAY saving lives. S/Sgt Keeton is on the left. LZ FALCON Medical Aid Station 2nd Lt (?) on the right is the one who pronounced S-2 CPT Tom Metzger KIA after his extraction from Huey at Falcon fresh from X-Ray.

Sp/4 Ronnie Guyer standing in front of the closest thing to a Christmas Tree to be found on Christmas Day 1965 at 1/7th Cav HQ at An Khe

Victorious Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore at PLEIKU Airstrip reading Congratulatory Telegram from Commanding General William Westmoreland who immediately followed him on top of this Jeep to personally salute the members of the 1/7 Cav for their "Outstanding Victory" at IA DRANG

1st Cav. Div. Commanding General Harry W.O. Kinnard welcoming the 1/7th Cav back to Home Base at An Khe. A smiling Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore is in the middle.

The first two Communist North Vietnamese Regular POW's of the Battle of IA DRANG fresh from LZ X-RAY are escorted from Helicopter to Helicopter at LZ FALCON by members of the HHC, 1/7 Cav. Associated Press Photographer is running to the right to get in front of them to take the picture that is in 'WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE....AND YOUNG.' Shadow of me taking this picture is at lower left. I consider this Picture one of the best. Notice M-16 POW wounded knee on one of the POW's in the middle of the picture.

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Actor SAM ELLIOTT who portrays Hero CSM BASIL PLUMLEY to MEL GIBSON's Lt. Col. HAL MOORE in ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. with ALOHA RONNIE Guyer/Radio Operator to both in Vietnam ...and the real IA DRANG-1965 Hero S-3 Operations Officer Capt MATT DILLON ...who I also Clerked for ...to the left at our Year 2001 IA DRANG Alumni D.C. Conference. (photo taken by Kevin Burke)

With our very own ALOHA RONNIE Guyer/Radio Operator to both in Vietnam ...
and the real IA DRANG-1965 Hero S-3 Operations Officer Capt MATT DILLON ...
who ALOHA RONNIE also Clerked for ...to the left at the Year 2001 IA DRANG
Alumni D.C. Conference.

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Vietnam Troopship the USNS ROSE

[WVNan]

[GatorGirl]

Another great FReeper FRiday, Snow Bunny--thank you!

Ronnie, you honor us with your presence. Thank you for your service to our country.

((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))) GG

[Jen]

Those are beautiful pictures of President Bush and Laura. I love the way they look at each other. THAT's how a married couple should look at each other! Wow!!!

[MistyCA]

OH! Thank you!!! I am so glad to see you use it. It was the very first graphic Tonk ever gave me and I simply added the words to it! I had that graphic on my desktop since about the time the Canteen first opened. :))))))

[MistyCA]

this is an awesome thread! Beautifully done! Thanks Ronnie and Bunny for this presentation.

[WVNan]

[MistyCA]

Morning fellas! It's always so comforting to see you! :))))

[SassyMom]

Thanks, I'm glad you like the pictures. That is why I like those pics too, because of how they look at each other. They are REALLY in love. You know, when I was trying to pick out these pictures, it was difficult to decide which ones to use. Almost all of them are like this, with them looking at each other with total love and devotion. Isn't that refreshing.

[Jen]

Misty!!!

Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson!!! (Lost in Space robot speaking)

If you want to keep your sight, skip #122!!!

[SassyMom]

Here are two more of my favorite pictures....

Laura Loves George...

George Loves Laura...

[WVNan]

CRUSTER ALERT!

[Jen]

Those pictures need musical accompaniament... How about this?

<=====

"Looking Through the Eyes of Love" - Theme from "Ice Castles"

[Jen]

Nan!!! Please issue a "BLINDFOLD RECOMMENDED - ALERT" before posting any more of that! I enjoy my sight too much...

[LadyX]

We are so privileged to get to know you better through this presentation, Ronnie.

May today's military men and women never experience the mood of America that prevailed in the Nam days, vilifying our heroes.

For every Nam veteran and their families, you were indeed and still ARE our heroes, those of us who lived it.

[SassyMom]

Perfect!!!! :)

[Jen]

I gotta get busy and go work out and take care of some other stuff in the 'real world'. See y'all later!

[SassyMom]

Have a great day, Jen!

[MeekOneGOP]

UPDATE ON SAMANTHA (CA) Arrest made in murder!!!!!!!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/719066/posts?page=79#79

Man arrested in Samantha Runnion killing

07/19/2002

Associated Press

STANTON, Calif. - A man was arrested Friday for investigation of the kidnap-murder of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion, Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona said.

Alejandro Avila, 27, was arrested after search warrants were served overnight at an apartment complex near Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, not far from where the girl's body was found Tuesday near Highway 74, a route connecting the two counties.

The arrest came during an extensive dragnet following Samantha's abduction.

AP

Alejandro Avila

The girl and a 5-year-old friend were playing only about 150 feet from Samantha's front door in a complex of Stanton townhomes Monday evening when a man drove up in a two-door light green car after making a U-turn. The man got out and asked for help finding his puppy, then took off with the kicking and screaming girl.

Samantha's nude body was discovered Tuesday afternoon along Highway 74 on the edge of the Cleveland National Forest, about 50 miles from Stanton.

An autopsy revealed the girl was alive for several hours after she was snatched and was killed sometime Tuesday by asphyxiation.

Carona said earlier that warrants were served at four locations, including an apartment complex near Lake Elsinore, and at a business in Temecula.

Adelina Avila said her Lake Elsinore apartment was searched by authorities late Thursday and her 27-year-old son was being detained. She said her son was taken in early Thursday for questioning and she was able to speak with him over the phone.

"I don't think my son did anything, but I notice he is cooperating," said Avila. "I don't have anything against that. He hasn't been through this before so he doesn't know what's going on. He doesn't have no record."

Authorities said Thursday the dragnet was so extensive that there had been numerous detentions and a few arrests on unrelated violations as law enforcement officers encountered people generally matching the suspect's description.

In Sunderland, Mass., Samantha's biological father, Derek Jackson, mourned her Thursday at a news conference from his home.

"I will always stay connected with her. She will live in my heart when I wake up every day," Jackson said. "I love her dearly. I miss you, Samantha."

Jackson also offered advice to other parents.

"Please watch your children. Every second, don't let them out of your sight, especially now," he said.

Outside Samantha's home, a memorial continued to grow. Flowers, stuffed animals, balloons, candles and personal messages to her were laid out on 14 tables in a courtyard of the housing complex. Once full of children playing and skateboarding, it was vacant Thursday morning. A nearby park was also sparsely populated, and parents kept a careful watch.

Tara Frietas, 13, walked with her grandfather, Art Domen, 79, from their Garden Grove home a few blocks away to pay their respects.

They said they had taken extra precautions.

"I have to be home before dark. I can't go anywhere alone, and I'm not to speak to strangers," Tara said, adding she was afraid after hearing the sheriff comment Wednesday that the killer could strike again.

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/071902dnnatrunnion.223fb.html

[Jen]

Special Dedication to ALOHA RONNIE - a Real Hero -
And All Our Military Members
Who Are Serving Our Country or Have Served Honorably!

Hero
(Click for music)

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time
You'll find the way
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

[MeekOneGOP]

The police artists do a pretty good job, huh?