A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....03-07-03...The Blue Star Flag

LadTx and Billie | Ladtx

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

<

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 1A: TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

The American War Mothers flag
(The Blue Star Flag)

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Blue Star Flag by ladtx

I hung two blue star flags in the window today, one for each of our sons.      Two yellow ribbons would have sufficed to show our concern and our love but the blue stars are more fitting, so there they hang.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yellow ribbons have become “de rigueur” when our soldiers go to war. During the Gulf War they were everywhere; trees, fences, front porches and the back windows of automobiles. It was a spontaneous and caring display of concern for our troops. It had been carried over from the days of the imprisonment of the hostages held in Iran ten years before. Inspired by the popular song, “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Old Oak Tree” by Tony Orlando and Dawn, those yellow bows showed our concern. Although heartfelt and indicative of the love of those left behind, particularly for friends, relatives and our troops as a whole, there is a predecessor that is more steeped in history and I believe more appropriate symbol for display by mothers and fathers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The American War Mothers flag was first displayed during World War I. The blue star on a white background trimmed in red was a design created by Robert L. Queissner of Ohio to reflect the WWI service of his two sons. The flag was displayed in windows to denote the home of a soldier’s mother. As WWI progressed and American lives were lost a new flag developed from the blue star. When a son was killed the, mothers began sewing a gold star over the blue and soon thereafter President Wilson began referring to these women as “Gold Star Mothers.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In 1925 the U.S. Congress granted the American War Mothers a national charter. The following year on what was then Armistice Day, now Veterans Day, the American War Mothers flag was raised over the Capitol for the first time. Today the War Mothers Flag flies beneath the National Colors every Veterans Day until sundown.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the July 1942 cover of McCall’s, a blue-star flag appears in the window above a mother and son.

World War II, once again, saw the practice of hanging the Blue and Gold Star flags in windows. Sadly, the practice of displaying the Blue Star or Gold Star flags in the windows of mothers during the Korean and Vietnam Wars never gained widespread practice. It is one that should be taken up again. It has become one of our traditions that have fallen by the wayside and that is a shame. Traditions define us and to lose them one by one is to slowly lose ourselves and perhaps our way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On September 24, 1917 an Ohio congressman read the following into the Congressional record, referring
to the War Mothers Flag:

“The mayor of Cleveland, the Chamber of Commerce and the governor of Ohio have adopted this service flag. The world should know of those who give so much for liberty. The dearest thing in all the world to a father and mother – their children.”

SCOUTS OUT!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ladtx flew UH-1's in Vietnam, OH-58's in Germany, and the CH-47 Chinook in Korea and Texas. He served 20 years in the United States Army. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer (CW4). Click on the calvery horses above to read more about him, and his family. Two of his three sons have recently been deployed: one in the USAF and the other USAR. ~ Billie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father God, the star is the symbol You chose when You gave us the Ultimate Gift of Your Child. Heralding that birth was a bright and shining star in a dark sky, and ladtx has hung blue stars representing his two children, sent forth in Your name. They represent also the feelings of those who read and echo this prayer, honoring the sacrifices we, too, are willing to make in Your name, honoring the greatest of gifts - pure love. Believing in You, we entrust our sons and daughters to Your care all the years of their lives, from first breath to last; and most especially, we ask You to protect them when their absence is for the greater good of mankind. Be with them in every situation, Father. Send the Holy Spirit to fill them and all family and friends involved with Your peace and certainty of purpose. We believe America is the nation that was established in Your Holy Name, and ask Your help in our efforts to preserve her and to act according to Your will. Guide all those in positions of authority through the storms and trials ahead, particularly our President. Thank You for hearing our pleas, Lord. Amen.

Thank you, LadyX, for the beautiful prayer.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-03-03 Pippin's Thoughts 03-04-03 Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) 03-05-03 BilltheDrill 03-06-03 JohnHuang2 Essay

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[GailA]

Here's another sweet boy

[Aquamarine]

(click on graphic)

I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down."
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."
I said, "Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.

He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down.
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag."
"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing 'Oh Say Can You See'.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams."

"And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag."

"On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low a time or two.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam."

"She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she's been abused --
She's been burned, dishonored, denied and refused."

"And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.
'Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more."

"So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don't let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag."

[GailA]

I'm partial to Johnny Cash music too. One of his finest is Give my Love to Rose

[Aquamarine]

The "Ragged Old Flag" was narrarated by Johnny Cash but now it's coming up connection failed. Try it again later, it was really good.

[WaterDragon]

I hop in every day, Billie, even when I don't post. I like this thread very much!

Thanks. If you add WaterDragon's soldiers to your prayer list, I'll be very grateful. And I'm praying for all of our men and women in the services.

Wasn't it great, last night in the president's press conference, when he thanked our military, and said they are being provided with the best for their job? I pray for their safety and for the success of their missions, as well as for their families back home.

[knighthawk]

The Netherlands are divided. Most people want the US to wage war only with UN approval, but still a lot of people back the US even without the UN.

But the lefties are loud and they control the media (80% of all Dutch journalists vote left), so there is anti-Bush sentiment enough. On the internet-forums it's really bad, even with right-winged people (European right winged that is).

Many people know Saddam has to go, but they think Bush is too eager to wage war.

The government supports the US also without UN approval, and our foreign minister is angry with France for their stand.

[larryjohnson]

scroll down for Blue Star Flag

American Flag & Gift - Military Flags

http://www.anyflag.com/military/index.php

[The Thin Man]

I shall defer to The Thin Man for a ruling about the possibility there might have been a bribe or coercion involved in the statement by dear dansy...

Billie laughed at me, TMan...it's a sad, sad day...:(

I'm so sorry, Lady. You're finding out first hand the great personal costs of going against Billie, and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse.

I suspect dansy, realizing this, was too overcome with fear to speak out against the tyrant. :-)

[LadyX]

"I suspect dansy, realizing this, was too overcome with fear to speak out against the tyrant. :-)"

Understanding is a such beautiful thing...sob, sob...

[FreeTheHostages]

finding out first hand the great personal costs of going against Billie, and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse.

ROFL. My goodness, you do have a penchant for DRAMA? Look, *none* of the links in my Angelwood piece worked and I'm still alive, OK?

[FreeTheHostages]

Got an email from our almost 25 year old son.... he wrote movingly of how much he appreciated those who do serve.

:) Good work.

[FreeTheHostages]

FRiends from far and wide, I don't maintain my own ping list, but I hereby ping some people I do see about to let you know:

Today's Freeper's Finest thread is particularly moving and interesting discussion of blue star flags. I didn't know . . . .

[FreeTheHostages]

Interesting.

I think that the rest of the Security Council would be unanimous about France. :) Maybe we should invade them.

JUST JOKING.

;0

[dansangel]

Now wait just a dad-blamed minute here....

I was busy toiling away at next week's thread so that I can attend tomorrow's rally to support the troops and was not able to come to Billie's defense.

Here is what Enquiring Minds Want To Know, straight from the horse's....er, um, *mouth*.....

She proffered and I accepted *no bribes.* :-)

I felt the wrath of a true tyrant at my *other* job a week ago...Billie (nor anyone else that I know) could even come close!

Off to get my beauty rest so that I can be full of energy for the rally tomorrow. Love and {{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}} to all!

[WVNan]

Hi angel before you go to sleep. God bless.

[LadyX]

We'll be supporting you from afar, you and .45 man and all the others!

[LadyX]

Glad you are here, Nan.
Hope your life has slowed down a bit....

[Libertina]

Blue and Gold Star Mothers... What a wonderful thread today and such a beautiful painting from McCalls 1942. Thanks LadTX & Billie for your informative and patriotic teaching. Evening Finest Ladies and Gentlemen - I'm disappointed to miss so much of FR's Finest lately, :( Work does that sometimes. I'm getting ready for a rally tomorrow but will finish reading today's thread before I turn in. I thought President Bush was the strong silent(er) type last night. I felt it was the subject matter, I am thankful daily he has shoulders broad enough to carry this burden, and someone he can turn to for help. Take care everyone and God Bless our beloved country and the people who protect her.
Blue Star Flag BUMP

[WVNan]

Lately I'm beginning to really feel left out of things here at the Finest. My job is taking almost all my time and by the time I get free at night everyone here has gone to bed or I'm so tired I fall asleep on the keyboard. LOL

I do want to say hello to everyone. I was glad to see this attempt to revive the blue star flags. I have the one my grandmother hung in her window for my uncle in WWII. Lady, the prayer is beautiful. You outdid yourself girl. ladtx, your family is sacrificing a great deal with two sons serving their country. May God watch over them and bring them quickly and safely home. May God give you and your wife peace of mind and comfort of heart. Billie, it's a stirring and beautiful thread.

[WVNan]

Oh Maggie, I'm just meeting myself going and coming, and I'm getting tired. I've already fallen asleep on my keyboard and I've only been here reading the news for about thirty minutes. How's the arm?