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Remember Those Who Sacrifice So Much On Our Behalf

Somewhere today an American soldier will be a casualty of war. Why do so few sacrifice so much for the  many? I can only speak for the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and coast guardsmen I met when in military service and since my discharge. Most feel a sense of duty to their country, their family and their friends. Most important, they believe freedom isn't free, and they are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedoms and our way of life.

On behalf of all those serving and all those who have served, please do something this Memorial Day Weekend to honor them. Go to a parade, visit a memorial, say a prayer, place a small American flag on a veteran's grave site, visit a VA Home or Hospital. Do something. You and I owe it to all those brave men and women who care for their country and for each of you, even those they have never met.

Here is a brief history of Memorial Day:

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. It was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.

We Owe A Debt and Payment is Due

My cousin Carl often shares stories with his family and friends. In many ways, he is the wise elder on our Sicilian side. (My recently passed Uncle Clem filled that role on the Green side.) Carl finds these gems in a variety of places, and, I suspect, at least some of them make the rounds on the Internet. This is the first time for me to post Carl's sharings. I am compelled to share the abridged version here.

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush. Powell answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

Carl's piece ended with this:

"A veteran, whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve, is someone who at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America for an amount of up to, and including his life. That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact."

I was opposed to entering Iraq. But as one who served during another unpopular war, those who serve deserve our support, no matter our political leanings or our stance on the war. And the first step toward supporting a veteran is to understand the debt we owe each and every one.

Although not the author of the Powell story or the definition of a veteran, the above represents a fine example of why I think of my cousin Carl as a wise elder.

Proud to be An American

If I were King, every high school student in the U.S. would watch the PBS series "Carrier."  The film shows the best of the best in American youth, as we climb aboard for a 50,000-mile adventure aboard the USS Nimitz during its deployment to the Gulf in support of the Iraq War. The 5000 sailors and Marines disembarked from Coronado, Calif., on May 7, 2005 and returned there November 8, 2005 with stops at Pearl Harbor, Hong Kong, Guam, Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain and Perth, Australia.

We get an inside look at the life of an American volunteer service man and woman. The film is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming. Every American should salute these brave and giving people, no matter your stance on the war. We should sacrifice so much, but all we have been asked to do is to go shopping, while our military men and women give and give and then give some more.

Watch the film. I cried at the end, and you will, too, if there is an ounce of pride inside you.

Be Proud and Thankful of All Who Served and are Serving

On November 11 we honor our veterans. Please say thank you to all those who served as well as all those serving today. Without them, our freedoms and our quality of life would be dust in the wind.

Spreading Urban Legends

The Truth: As it turns out, much of the following is false, and I contributed to spreading these urban legends with the post below, which I regret. As a former military person, I am not happy about that but the responsibility for truth lies with me, and I apologize to my readers for posting the following. Here are the facts:

• Lee Marvin served, was wounded, and was decorated with the Navy Cross.
• The dialogue with Johnny Carson took place but the transcript below is inaccurate.
• Bob Keeshan enlisted in the marines but never served in combat at Iwo Jima (http://www.snopes.com/military/marvin.asp).
• Mr. Rogers never served (http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/mrrogers.asp).

A big thank you to former Marine Cam Beck for setting me straight.

This is a story that has been floating around for some time, but I wanted to bring it out again to share with my readers. I do not know the original source

Some people have been a bit offended that the actor, Lee Marvin, is buried in a grave alongside 3 and 4 star generals at Arlington National Cemetery His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here's  a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer: I always liked Lee Marvin, but didn't know the extent of his Corps experiences.

In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces often in rear echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions.

Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima There is only one higher Naval award... the Medal Of Honor. If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.

Dialog from "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima, and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."

"Yeah, yeah... I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting shot hauling you down. But Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew. We both got the cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's safety was more important than his own life.

That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, where'd they get you Lee?' Well Bob, if you make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!" Johnny, I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew. The Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo."

On another note, there was this wimpy little man (who just passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything but what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved sweater on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat.

After the war Mr Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and, therefore, a pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm.

America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best. They earn our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy.

Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst. Often, they are the ones you'd least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened. Take the time to thank anyone that has fought for our freedom. With encouragement they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr.Rogers.

The Face of Freedom

July 4th is a day to celebrate our Independence. Today, we enjoy our bbq, our friends and families and fireworks. We should. It is a great day in the history of our nation. But during our celebrations and fun, please take a moment to honor those who ensure our freedoms and our independence through their sacrifice. Honor our brothers and sisters in arms.

To Those Who Serve

This is a photo taken in 1969 of  airman stationed at a mountain site in Alaska. Mt. Sparavohn Air Force Station was charged with defending the skies off the coast. As you can see, it wasn't all work and no play.

I'm on the floor in the middle, wearing the blue cutoff sweat shirt. The picture was shot in our club (i.e., the bar).

To Those Who Serve

Lewis,

I linked to your blog thru Toby Bloomberg’s Diva site. Thank you for what you are doing to feature those who have served in the Military.

Here are three pictures if you care to post them. The first two are “then” and the last is “now”.

This first picture was taken after 11 days of a running firefight with an NVA unit over near the  Cambodian border west of the village of Vo Su in the Fall of 1970. I was the company commander of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. After what was left of the NVA unit slipped across the border, we were ordered to cut an LZ for extraction back to our base camp. After posting security and getting work parties organized to cut the LZ, I dropped my gear and just sat. One of my men snapped this picture and gave it to me several months later.

I have this picture blown up and framed in my den with the following caption: “No matter how bad it gets, it will never get this bad again”

In this second picture, I am now the company commander of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th  Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, known as Angry Skipper. We are sitting on the airstrip at Xuan Loc waiting for transport to Vung Tau for three days of in-country R&R – that’s why the clean fatigues and non-camouflaged 1st Cav patch. This was probably May of 1971.

And here we are 35 years later at our annual reunion – from left to right – Dean “Dizzy” Blais, Nelson Allen, me, and Johnny Varnes – point man extraordinaire.

William Neal
Senior Partner
SDR Consulting

Note: If you are serving or have served or know a veteran or someone currently in the military, send me photos and caption, if you would like them recognized for their service.

To Those Who Serve

Toby Bloomberg contributed the following great story about her dad, a member of the Greatest Generation.

Here are a couple of photos of my dad in uniform. I think the one with him and my mom on the steps was taken in Jacksonville, FL just before he shipped out. The one with the older man (my Grandfather "Popsie") was taken at a night club in Boston. I assume that both were I think in 1942/3.

As the story goes .. he and my mom met on a blind date. Dad proposed that night. They were married 6-weeks later because of "the war." If two people were ever soul mates it was Lou and Ann.

Although she loved being a mother, she loved being  his wife even more. And he was crazy about her too. I have a lot of the letters that he wrote to her but none that she wrote to him. My mom gave me these letters just before she died and told that there were others but she destroyed them because the were too personal. One can only imagine ;-)

To Those Who Serve