USO Canteen FReeper Style ....High Flight .... October 30,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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The USO Canteen FReeper Style
Delivering a Touch of Home

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A Touch of Home

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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.

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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Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

John McCrae 

High Flight

High Flight was composed by
Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr.,
an American serving with the
Royal Canadian Air Force.

He was born in Shanghai, China
in 1922, the son of missionary
parents, Reverend and Mrs. John
Gillespie Magee; his father was an
American and his mother was
originally a British citizen.

He came to the U.S. in 1939
and earned a scholarship to Yale,
but in September 1940 he enlisted
in the RCAF and was graduated as
a pilot. He was sent to England for
combat duty in July 1941.

In August or September 1941,
Pilot Officer Magee composed
High Flight

He then sent a copy to his parents.
Several months later, on
December 11, 1941 his Spitfire
collided with another plane over
England and Magee, only 19 years
of age, crashed to his death.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc

His remains are buried in the
churchyard cemetery at Scopwick, Lincolnshire.

The poem, High Flight, has over
the years become a mantra to pilots.
It is a tribute to, and in memory of
pilots of all generations.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high unsurpassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941

[Johnny Gage]

I prefer to call it the First Annual DFL Wellstone LoveFest.

[Chemist_Geek]

Speaking of flying...

Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif. (Oct. 23, 2002) -- A Navy Honor Guard renders a twenty-one gun salute during a memorial service for four naval aviators from Strike Fighter Squadron Four One (VFA-41) who are missing and presumed dead, following a mid-air collision while conducting a routine training mission off the California coast on October 18th, 2002. Killed were Lt. Stephen R. Nevarez, 31, New Orleans, La., Weapons Systems Officer, Lt. Joel A. Korkowski, 30, Phoenix, Ariz., Pilot, Lt. Matthew S. Shubzda, 27, Dallas, Texas, Pilot, and Lt. Stephen N. Benson, 26, Virginia Beach, Va., Weapons Systems Officer. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Denise Martin.

[Johnny Gage]

Three Cheers for the Golden Corral Restaurants!

What a wonderful thing to do for our active & retired troops!

Station #51 is open
Hot Breakfast & Coffee in the Kitchen

Time Out: 09:07
KMG-365

[Johnny Gage]

one more post... LOL

In honor of Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr.

[tomkow6]

Flying HIGH!

020922-N-5319A-501 Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. (Sep. 22, 2002) -- The “ Canadian Snowbirds” fly nine CT-114 “ Tutors” over one of the Blue Angels F/A-18 “Hornets” during the “ 2002 Neptune Festival Air Show.” The “Tutor” is a single-engine subsonic jet ideal for basic and advanced pilot training. As an acrobatic jet, the “Tutor” is slightly modified to respond to the demands of the air demonstration team. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Brien Aho.

020920-N-1522W-021 Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. (Sep. 20, 2002) -- The U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team performs fly-by formation at the “ 2002 Neptune Festival Air Show.” The Blue Angels were organized under the order of Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, the Chief of Naval Operations, at the end of World War II, to keep the public interested in Naval Aviation. They are flying the sleek McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 “Hornet,” the first dual-role fighter/attack aircraft now serving on the nation's front lines of defense. Since 1946, the Blue Angels have flown for more than 260 million spectators. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Leah Wilson.

[Soaring Feather]

Good Morning Snow Bunny

Wonderful new day today.

[Soaring Feather]

Okay I'll be coming round to the spooky party!

Cool graphic Linda!

[tomkow6]

I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween.

~Frank Zappa

[ladtx]

As a retired Army helicopter pilot, High Flight has always been one of my favorites. Thanks for posting it. It is always moving to read.

[Soaring Feather]

Sam,

This is so interesting, He thereupon sat down in the mess and composed, in a very short time, the first draft of "High Flight" written, literally, "on the back of an envelope".

I too, have written on the back of an envelope or any scrap of paper handy, when the muse wants one to write, you do!

I really appreciate this Sam. It's so thoughtful of you to post this!

[Soaring Feather]

Too funny, tomkow!

[Soaring Feather]

Bless your hearts, Canteen men and men in the service of our country.

I love this flower arrangement! It looks terrific in the Canteen. Think how lovely it will be by the fireplace this evening.

[Soaring Feather]

Thank you for the heads up Sam!

[2Jedismom]

Please add me to your ping list! I love this thread.

[Light Speed]

Good Morning Bunny...and welcome to all visiting us here at the canteen.

Riding upon the High places of the Earth

A artists rendering of Aurora....believed to exist,witnessed by British Airways Pilots tankering over the North Sea

[deadhead]

GOD BLESS

~~~Colleen~~~

[Mr_Magoo]

Air Power

Northrop YF-5A "Freedom Fighter"

The F-5 is a supersonic fighter combining low cost, ease of maintenance, and great versatility. More than 2,000 of these aircraft have been procured by the USAF for use by allied nations. The F-5, which closely resembles the USAF Northrop T-38 trainer, is suitable for various types of ground-support and aerial intercept missions, including those which would have to be conducted from sod fields in combat areas.

The F-5 first flew on July 30, 1959 and deliveries to the Tactical Air Command for instructing foreign pilots began in April 1964. Pilots from Iran and South Korea were the first to be trained in the F-5, followed by pilots from Norway, Greece, Taiwan, Spain, and other Free World nations which have adopted the F-5. A two place combat trainer version, the F-5B, first flew in February 1964. In 1966-67, a USAF sqaudron of F-5s flew combat missions in Southeast Asia for operational evaluation purposes.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 25 ft. 10 in.
Length: 47 ft. 2 in.
Height: 13 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 20,576 lbs. loaded
Armament: Two 20mm cannons, rockets, missiles and 5,500 lbs. of bombs externally
Engines: Two General Electric J85s of 4,080 lbs. thrust each with afterburner
Cost: $756,000

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 925 mph.
Cruising Speed: 575 mph.
Range: 1,100 miles
Service Ceiling: 50,700 ft.

Photos/Information courtesy of the US Air Force Museum

[Mr_Magoo]

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY

A man walked into a cowboy bar and ordered a beer
just as former President Clinton appeared on the
television. After a few sips, he looked up at the
television and mumbled, "Now, there's the biggest
horse's ass I've ever seen."

A customer at the end of the bar quickly stood up,
walked over to him, and decked him. A few minutes
later, as the man was finishing his beer, Hillary
Clinton appeared on the television.

"She's a horse's ass too."

This time, a customer at the other end of the bar
quickly stood up, walked over to him, and knocked
him off his stool.

"Damn it!" the man said, climbing back up to the bar.
"This must be Clinton country!"

"Nope," the bartender replied. "Horse country!"

[tomkow6]

The CIA had an opening for an assassin. After all the background checks,
interviews, and testing were done there were three finalists: two men
and a woman.

For the final test, the CIA agents took one of the men to a large metal
door and handed him a . 45 Revolver. "We must know that you will follow
your instructions, no matter what the circumstances. Inside the room,
you will find your wife sitting in a chair. Kill her!"

The man said, "You can't be serious. I could never shoot my wife. The
agent said, "Then you're not the right man for this job." The second man
was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room.
All was quiet for about five minutes. Then the man came out with tears
in his eyes. "I tried, but I can't kill my wife."

The agent said, "You don't have what it takes. Take your wife and go
home."

Finally, it was the woman's turn. She was given the same
instructions to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the
room. Six shots were heard, one shot after another. The agents heard
screaming, crashing, and banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all
was quiet.

The door opened slowly and there stood the woman.
She wiped the sweat from her brow, and said, "This gun is loaded with
blanks. I had to beat him to death with the chair."

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good Morning Troops, families, veterans, and Canadian and Israeli allies (and everybody else). Thank you for taking such good care of the USA.

Today in Anchorage, Alaska:

Sunrise 8:23am
Sunset 5:01pm

Hi 48F
Lo 38F

Mild with clouds and sun

Actual yesterday in Anchorage:

Hi 52F
Lo 37F

State Hi 57F Annette
State Lo 9 Barter Island