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| Topic: The Land of the Free ~ because of the Brave | |
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Amen sister!!! 
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I love this picture. I wish I could keep it. Kat |
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I love this picture. I wish I could keep it. Kat Kat, just right click on the picture, and save it to your desktop. |
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Sun 03/22/09 02:55 PM
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I volunteered for my country when I was just a young punk of 17 winters. They took me in, cut me bald, fed me well, and became my Brothers. Just as in any family, there are those that you get along with better than others. In my child-man mind of 17, I still saw that there was a major difference between the Army, and the Corps, the Navy, and the Air Force. I did my first 3 down in Texas, where it was safe. I married a Texas gurl, and when the Army said they wanted me to do a solo 13 month tour in Korea within a year of getting married, I said Goodbye to my Brothers. I worked odd jobs down in Texas, trying to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads, and keep the vehicles that you can't be without in the Lone Star State. I lasted 15 months on the "Outside". When it looked the bleakest, I went back to my family, my Brothers, and asked if I could rejoin the "Family". Without any hesitation, my Brother said "HUA, Welcome Home, Brother". I rejoined my family, able to keep my place at the Beta Dog table. I spent the next two years learning an exciting new trade, one that only my Brothers can do. There is nothing that corresponds in the civilian world to the job my government, and my Brothers, trained me to do. They taught me stealth, even though I was in a 70 TON vehichle. They taught me how to hide something as big as a bus in the middle of NOTHING. Most of all, they taught me that even though my Brother is Latino Black, Native, Asian, White, or What-have-you, they'll have my back when the SH!T gets the deepest. I was sent from Germany to the sands of Arabia, landing on Christmas Eve. When our vehicles finally got there, there was no time for us to repaint them from the "Woodland" camo we had in Europe, so we all said "WTF, leave 'em brown, we'll just have to fight harder to remain hidden". And we did. The history of what we did in Iraq can be found at www.3ad.org John Sullivan Former Sgt. HHT 4th Sq, 8th U.S. Armored Cavalry 3rd Armored Divison  Right On John ..  ..You & your Brothers are awesome
 Words are truly inadequate  in fully expressing Thanks
but they are all we have , especially online
 so, i thank you with all the love i can muster up
 from the top, middle  and bottom of my heart
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Sun 03/22/09 03:03 PM
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I love this picture. I wish I could keep it. Kat Kat, just right click on the picture, and save it to your desktop. Yes Ma'am /// or you can save it as your wallpaper or put it in your picture gallery
that is how i do it ...
The United States of America In God We Trust !!! God Bless Our Noble Troops
One Nation under God /// with Liberty and Justice for all
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I loved the poem and the letter even more. What a tender soldier!
((((((((((( GOD BLESS THE USA & OUR TROOPS EVERYDAY!!! ))))))))))) |
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I volunteered for my country when I was just a young punk of 17 winters. They took me in, cut me bald, fed me well, and became my Brothers. Just as in any family, there are those that you get along with better than others. In my child-man mind of 17, I still saw that there was a major difference between the Army, and the Corps, the Navy, and the Air Force. I did my first 3 down in Texas, where it was safe. I married a Texas gurl, and when the Army said they wanted me to do a solo 13 month tour in Korea within a year of getting married, I said Goodbye to my Brothers. I worked odd jobs down in Texas, trying to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads, and keep the vehicles that you can't be without in the Lone Star State. I lasted 15 months on the "Outside". When it looked the bleakest, I went back to my family, my Brothers, and asked if I could rejoin the "Family". Without any hesitation, my Brother said "HUA, Welcome Home, Brother". I rejoined my family, able to keep my place at the Beta Dog table. I spent the next two years learning an exciting new trade, one that only my Brothers can do. There is nothing that corresponds in the civilian world to the job my government, and my Brothers, trained me to do. They taught me stealth, even though I was in a 70 TON vehichle. They taught me how to hide something as big as a bus in the middle of NOTHING. Most of all, they taught me that even though my Brother is Latino Black, Native, Asian, White, or What-have-you, they'll have my back when the SH!T gets the deepest. I was sent from Germany to the sands of Arabia, landing on Christmas Eve. When our vehicles finally got there, there was no time for us to repaint them from the "Woodland" camo we had in Europe, so we all said "WTF, leave 'em brown, we'll just have to fight harder to remain hidden". And we did. The history of what we did in Iraq can be found at www.3ad.org John Sullivan Former Sgt. HHT 4th Sq, 8th U.S. Armored Cavalry 3rd Armored Divison Right On John .. ..You & your Brothers are awesome
Words are truly inadequate in fully expressing Thanks
but they are all we have , especially online
so, i thank you with all the love i can muster up
from the top, middle and bottom of my heart
Another great response and nails it as to the 'brotherhood' .. I've been talking to a soldier a lot and altho I've always loved the military I never realized what made up the heart of the "lifers" .. Crazy devotion and loyalty to one another. He has really helped me see it from a whole new light. I have more respect than ever, for what they give up for us. And I see how being in the service meets their needs too. SWEEEEEEEEEET. |
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Mon 03/23/09 08:33 AM
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I volunteered for my country when I was just a young punk of 17 winters. They took me in, cut me bald, fed me well, and became my Brothers. Just as in any family, there are those that you get along with better than others. In my child-man mind of 17, I still saw that there was a major difference between the Army, and the Corps, the Navy, and the Air Force. I did my first 3 down in Texas, where it was safe. I married a Texas gurl, and when the Army said they wanted me to do a solo 13 month tour in Korea within a year of getting married, I said Goodbye to my Brothers. I worked odd jobs down in Texas, trying to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads, and keep the vehicles that you can't be without in the Lone Star State. I lasted 15 months on the "Outside". When it looked the bleakest, I went back to my family, my Brothers, and asked if I could rejoin the "Family". Without any hesitation, my Brother said "HUA, Welcome Home, Brother". I rejoined my family, able to keep my place at the Beta Dog table. I spent the next two years learning an exciting new trade, one that only my Brothers can do. There is nothing that corresponds in the civilian world to the job my government, and my Brothers, trained me to do. They taught me stealth, even though I was in a 70 TON vehichle. They taught me how to hide something as big as a bus in the middle of NOTHING. Most of all, they taught me that even though my Brother is Latino Black, Native, Asian, White, or What-have-you, they'll have my back when the SH!T gets the deepest. I was sent from Germany to the sands of Arabia, landing on Christmas Eve. When our vehicles finally got there, there was no time for us to repaint them from the "Woodland" camo we had in Europe, so we all said "WTF, leave 'em brown, we'll just have to fight harder to remain hidden". And we did. The history of what we did in Iraq can be found at www.3ad.org John Sullivan Former Sgt. HHT 4th Sq, 8th U.S. Armored Cavalry 3rd Armored Divison Right On John .. ..You & your Brothers are awesome
Words are truly inadequate in fully expressing Thanks
but they are all we have , especially online
so, i thank you with all the love i can muster up
from the top, middle and bottom of my heart
Another great response and nails it as to the 'brotherhood' .. I've been talking to a soldier a lot and altho I've always loved the military I never realized what made up the heart of the "lifers" .. Crazy devotion and loyalty to one another. He has really helped me see it from a whole new light. I have more respect than ever, for what they give up for us. And I see how being in the service meets their needs too. SWEEEEEEEEEET. Hello there Judy Nice to hear from you, as always
I can feel and hear your enthusiasm rise up from the pages
just like i am sure you can feel and hear my enthusiam & passion
I watched Saving Private Ryan  in its entirety last night & also saw just a glimpse
of the amazing bond of Brotherhood & fierce Loyalty that our Courageous Troops have with each other
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Some of my fav movies are Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and other war movies. Very graphic but heck war IS graphic.
And yes I sense your emotion as well dear Vanessa. I think it wonderful you do these threads .. I love them and know the soldiers appreciate the support. course I LIVE in a military town and whenever I can I thank a soldier when I see one. 
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Mon 03/23/09 08:47 AM
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I never was interested in History but now i can't get enough of it My Daddy is still alive at age 84 and was a young Soldier in WWII
 He lost his 25 year old Merchant Marine Brother
who was on his last tour bringing supplies to the Troops
in the Tragedy at Bari, Italy
 on the terribly horrific fateful day of Dec. 2nd, 1943
the very day that my 19 year old < future > Daddy's Company
was leaving Newport News, Virginia heading for Italy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/2002147/posts Lord, 
Keep our Troops  forever in Your care
Give them victory over the enemy...
Grant them a safe and swift return...
Bless those who mourn the lost.
Tragedy at Bari
Disaster in the Italian Campaign Bari was an old city dating back to the Middle Ages, and located on the Adriatic with a population of about 200,000. It had become the main supply base for Montgomery's Eighth Army, plus the new Headquarters for the US 15th. Air Force. On the 2nd. of December 1943, the port was crowded with 30 Allied ships. One of these, the Liberty ship John Harvey, carried a secret load of 100 tons of mustard gas bombs, a precaution in case Hitler decided to invoke the use of chemical warfare. The seeds of the ensuing disaster were planted, merely waiting to germinate. Chaos at the port of Bari. The German raid closed the port for three weeks The Port of Bari, all hustle and bustle. Absorbed with the task of bringing the US 15th. Air Force into reality, with Major General James Doolittle in command, the Allies gave little thought to a German air raid on the bustling port of Bari. The harbour was crammed with shipping, stuffed with supplies, including aviation fuel for the US bombers crowding the Foggia air base 75 miles away. Come sunset, on the evening of the 2nd. of December in 1943, with the urgent need to hasten the unloading of ships filling the port, the harbour was brilliantly lit so that cargo might be unloaded thoughout the night. ME210 German reconnaissance flight during the afternoon of the 2nd. of December 1943. 1st. Lieutenant Werner Hahn had flown his Messerschmidt ME-210 over Bari at 23,000 feet on the afternoon of the 2nd. of December 1943. Unmolested by any AA fire, he made a second pass of the port, and turned North for home, to report that the proposed target was crowded with unloading ships, perhaps 30 plus. Field Marshal Wolfram von Richthofen, in command of Luftflotte 2, had suggested to his boss, Field Marshal Kesselring, that an attack on Bari could slow down the advancing 8th. Army, and retard attacks from the newly arrived US 15th. Air Force. He thought he might manage to gather 150 JU 88's for the attack, in the event, 105 was all he could muster. His aircraft were ordered to fly east to the Adriatic, then turn and approach Bari to the west, the Allies no doubt would anticipate any German air raids to come in from the North. The aircraft would drop Duppel, thin strips of tin foil to confuse the defensive Radar. Parachute flares would be dropped to light up the targets in the harbour at about 1930 ( 7.30 PM , ) then the JU 88's, would attack at a low altitude, hoping to avoid Allied Radar installations. Mustard gas in Liberty Ship SS John Harvey. The Captain of John Harvey was not officially informed that his ship would carry a load of lethal mustard gas bombs. These were 4 feet long, 8 inches in diameter, and each held 60/70 pounds of the chemical. Mustard gas forms blisters, irritates the respiratory system, leaving the skin burnt, with raw ulcers. Post WW2, in the Royal Australian Navy, I was undertaking an Atomic, Biological, Chemical, Damage Control course at a Sydney NavalEstablishment, during which I was instructed how to combat the effects of mustard gas. Some of this deadly chemical was introduced onto the back of my hands, I was certainly pleased I had paid attention on how to nullify it working, as I diligently scrubbed it off my hands to negate any ill effects of this awful weapon of war. Fortunately I was successful. On board John Harvey, 1st. Lieutenant Howard D. Beckstrom and his six man team from the 701st. Chemical Maintenance Company were on hand in case of trouble from this deadly cargo. The ship had crossed the Atlantic Ocean without running into any U-Boat problems, then had stopped at Oran in Algeria, thence to Augusta in Sicily, until it made it into Bari on the 26th. of November. Her cargo including 2,000 M47A1 gas bombs filled with mustard gas, which remained a secret, meant she was not given any priority to unload, she must wait her turn. A flight of German JU 88's in the raid on Bari, December 1943 The German air attack. Arriving on schedule at Bari, Flight Lieutenant Gustav Teuber, leading in the first wave of bombers could not believe his eyes, the scene below, brilliantly lit, cranes busily lifting cargo from ship's holds, the east jetty crowded with ships. The attack was a complete suprise, Liberty Ship Joseph Wheeler exploded from a direct hit, John Motley was hit in No. 5 hold, John Bascom next to her, shattered by a rain of bombs, was abandoned. John Harvey on fire, suddenly blew up, disappearing in a mighty fireball, casting pieces of ship and her deadly cargo of mustard gas all over the harbour. Mustard gas gives off a garlic odour, and now it combined with oil in the harbour, a deadly and volatile mixture. People were noticing a smell of garlic in the air, already doing its deadly work. Another Liberty ship, Samuel Tilden was sunk. In all, 17 ships were lost, 5 American, 5 British, 2 Italian, 3 Norwegian, and 2 Polish, another 7 were heavily damaged. Here is a list of the 17 ship losses and those damaged in the raid. Destroyed: John Harvey (US Liberty, 7177 gt) John L. Motley (US Liberty, 7176 gt) John Bascom (US Liberty, 7176 gt) Joseph Wheeler (US Liberty, 7176 gt) Samuel J. Tilden (US Liberty, 7176 gt) Fort Athabasca (British, 7132 gt) Fort Lajoie ( British, 7134 gt ) Testbank (British, 5083 gt) *** Lars Kruse (British, 1897 gt) Devon Coast (British, 646 gt) Bollsta (Norwegian, 1832 gt) Norlom (Norwegian, 6412 gt) Lom (Norwegian, 1268 gt) Lwow (Polish, 1409 gt) Puck (Polish, 1065 gt) Frosinone (Italian, 5202 gt) Barletta (Italian, 1975 gt) *** SS Testbank collided with SS Ceramic off the coast of South West Africa, ( now Namibia ) on the 11th. of August in 1940, forcing Ceramic to seek repairs at Walvis Bay. Ceramic herself was later sunk by U-Boat U-515, in the Atlantic on the 7th. of December 1942, and now Testbank is sunk in this raid on Bari, indeed two ill fated ships. Heavily damaged ship list. Grace Abbott (American, 7191gt) John M. Schoefield (American, 7191gt) Crista (British, 2590 gt) Brittanny Coast (British, 1389 gt) Vest (Norwegian, 5074 gt) Cassala (Italian, 1797 gt) Odysseus (Dutch, 1057 gt) Casualties. There were over 1,000 military and merchant marine casualties, some 800 were admitted to local hospitals. 628 suffered from the mustard gas, of whom, 69 died within two weeks. The port was closed for three weeks, it had been rendered into rubble. Secrecy about the mustard gas. Although US records did mention mustard gas, Winston Churchill insisted all British Medical records were purged and mustard gas deaths were merely listed as the result of: " Burns due to enemy action." No doubt his insistence of secrecy could have caused more deaths, as victims, especially Italian civilians might have sought proper treatment for their injuries, had they known the real cause. Conclusion. This Bari raid was a disaster on two fronts. It was a Second Pearl Harbor, with 17 ships totalling 75,936 tons sunk, and another 7 ships with a tonnage of 27,289 tons heavily damaged by this sneak air attack by German aircraft, one of the Luftwaffe's success stories. The Bari raid produced the only poison gas incident associated with WW2, made worse by the perceived need for secrecy in wartime. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Some of my fav movies are Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and other war movies. Very graphic but heck war IS graphic. And yes I sense your emotion as well dear Vanessa. I think it wonderful you do these threads .. I love them and know the soldiers appreciate the support. course I LIVE in a military town and whenever I can I thank a soldier when I see one.
oh, thank you very Much, Judy That is nice of you to do that
It is not very Military oriented here. ..but i go out of my way
to say hi  and thank a soldier or group of Soldiers
every time i see them at an airport or wherever
We have some bases around here but not in this general vicinity
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Amen sister!!!
Thanks for coming By  . Sir David Two Wolves. Love & Light to You Brother
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Edited by
NtheWind
on
Tue 03/24/09 10:01 AM
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My beautiful sister rapunzel
Thank you so much for this thread and all the veteran threads you do and keep up with. From the bottom of my heart and all the other veterans
THANK YOU!!!
I want to thank and shout out to all the veterans who can tell their story, and give lots of love and hugs to the warriors who have been posting or been posted
(saluting) elwoodsully -travis- scttrbrain redbean son benavidez roy (on this thread) I know there's many more of you out there! there's another thread!!!! all veterans sign in branch, name and unit? ( saluting ) Again THANK YOU brothers and sisters in all our armed forces. Our job is tough. Airbourne Infantry!!! HOAH!!! Death from Above!!! (post saluting smiley here) Any more super duper paratroopers out there? We need some saluting smilies!! I don't believe there are any out there. |
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Tue 03/24/09 12:13 PM
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My beautiful sister rapunzel
Thank you so much for this thread and all the veteran threads you do and keep up with. From the bottom of my heart and all the other veterans
THANK YOU!!!
I want to thank and shout out to all the veterans who can tell their story, and give lots of love and hugs to the warriors who have been posting or been posted
(saluting) elwoodsully -travis- scttrbrain redbean son benavidez roy (on this thread) I know there's many more of you out there! there's another thread!!!! all veterans sign in branch, name and unit? ( saluting ) Again THANK YOU brothers and sisters in all our armed forces. Our job is tough. Airbourne Infantry!!! HOAH!!! Death from Above!!! (post saluting smiley here) Any more super duper paratroopers out there? We need some saluting smilies!! I don't believe there are any out there.   Yes, we certainly do need some saluting smilies...
the ones we have here are farrr from adequate enough
but i do appreciate what we have neverthe less
Thank You Sooooo much My Dear Brother David N The Wind
Thank You SOOOOO Much for this beautiful Post
& gracious Tribute to Our Military Men and Women
Our Mighty Active Troops and Our Awesome Veterans
oh this is the very cutest
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Tue 03/24/09 11:31 AM
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My beautiful sister rapunzel
Thank you so much for this thread and all the veteran threads you do and keep up with. From the bottom of my heart and all the other veterans
THANK YOU!!!
Ohhh David I really am grateful for your compliments ~ thank you soooo much ...
It is extremely considerate sensitive & thoughtful of you
for the things you say for it Soo good to be acknowledged & appreciated
I want to thank and shout out to all the veterans who can tell their story, and give lots of love and hugs to the warriors who have been posting or been posted
(saluting) elwoodsully -travis- scttrbrain redbean son benavidez roy (on this thread) I know there's many more of you out there! there's another thread!!!! all veterans sign in branch, name and unit? ( saluting ) Again THANK YOU brothers and sisters in all our armed forces. Our job is tough. Airbourne Infantry!!! HOAH!!! Death from Above!!! (post saluting smiley here) Any more super duper paratroopers out there? We need some saluting smilies!! I don't believe there are any out there. yeah.... we do need saluting emoticons !!!
even tiny babies salute the Troops
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Edited by
Rapunzel
on
Tue 03/24/09 12:37 PM
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sorry this picture isn't larger it's a cute one of a baby saluting
.it appeared on photobucket as this size...& i don't know how to enlarge it
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