HONORING UNITED STATES MILITARY VETERANS

==================
February 23, 2010
==================

65th Anniversary of USMC raising flag on Mt. Suribachi: Worth Reflection
http://www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/usmc.htm
http://iwojima.com

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VETERANS HISTORY
===================

U.S. Library of Congress
Participate: Collect Interviews
http://www.loc.gov/vets/kit.html

Proud Pictures
http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/ar/images/veterans.jpg
Mt. Suribachi
http://ladylibertas.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/veterans.jpg
Heartbreaker
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/2007/11/10/veteran.jpg

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CHRISTMAS 2009
=================

We wish you the joy, peace and love of Christmas.
Remember and give thanks to all those standing guard the world over who would give their life for you.
May a loving God bless them, be with them, touch them with His love and keep them safe from harm.
Revere the sacred memory of more than a million who gave their "last full measure of devotion".
Never forget: not one, not ever!
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004615.html

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WWII REMEMBRANCE
==================

BATTLE OF THE BULGE

Began 16 Dec 1944
A world rid of Hitler - good riddance!

North Platte Canteen
Midwest stopover for troop trains
http://www.greatamericans.com/video/North-Platte-Canteen

=================
BILL OF RIGHTS
=================

208th Birthday 15 Dec 2009

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BOSTON TEA PARTY
===================

206th Anniversary 16 Dec 2009

==============
BIKER CALL
==============

Ride in memory of Justin Estes
KIA Iraq - Awarded Silver Star

1:30PM Sunday 11.22.09
Harrodsburg KY WalMart
$10 donation per biker
Call parents Don or Cathy 859-325-5284 or 3580 for info or make a contribution

====================
Freedom Is Not Free
====================
http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm

========================
Darrell "Shifty" Powers
========================
Easy Company
506 Parachute Regiment
101st Airborne
1941-1945
Dead of cancer: 17 June 2009

========================
Lest They Be Forgotten
========================
They were entombed in the Arizona, butchered at Bataan, murdered at Malmedy and turned the sea red with blood on Omaha Beach.
Scroll of the fallen: never forgotten: not one: not ever
http://lesttheybeforgotten.com

==============================
Franz Stigler : Charlie Brown
RIP
==============================

Longshot payoff for B17 crew
http://www.snopes.com/military/charliebrown.asp

============
May 7, 2009
============

64th anniversary of VE Day - worth remembering

===============
April 27, 1805
===============

USMC takes care of business in Tripoli after 500 mile march.

===============
April 15, 2009
===============

Medal of Honor winner Ed Freeman passed away at 80 in Idaho
Heroic helicopter pilot saved many lives in Vietnam

====================
Remember the Alamo
2.23.1836
====================

=====================================
Anniversary of Invasion of Iwo Jima
2.19.45
US Flag Raised on Mr. Suribachi
http://iwojima.com
=====================================

=================================
USMC Valor Saves Dozens in Iraq
=================================

Two Marines Awarded Navy Cross
Haerter & Yale
300 Million willing to die for each other - a nation of love!
http://www.jdnews.com/news/marines_62332___article.html/haerter_yale.html

==============================
American troops lost in Iraq
==============================

Courage
http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=1&attid=0.1.1&disp=inline&view=att&th=115e6270b4595804


http://militarycity.com/valor/honor.html

=============
Remembrance
=============

Bivouac of the Dead
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bivouac.htm

====================
PBS Remembers DDAY
====================

Read GI letters home
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dday/

=======================
Troops Are People Too
=======================

That our troops are willing to die for us is not a right to slaughter them.
They have rights, too.
http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=12621&news_iv_ctrl=1021

========
Wreaths
========

If you want to know some Americans who are walking the walk check:
http://wreathsacrossamerica.com
You will not be disappointed.

===========================
Feeling Unloved? Try This
===========================

Make a list of all the people wo would give their life for you.
Now add everybody serving in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.
Now think of more than a million who have died over the years.
Add police and firemen.
Get it?

===============
Fourth of July
===============

We are one more year older thanks to vets in harms way 7/24
This year we might read the words in the Declaration of Independence and
Reaffirm our allegiance to the United States of America
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/doi/text.html

================================================
Attaboy For DOD Increase In Death Benefits For Vets
================================================

A raise from $12K to $100K immediately.
Affected families will be notified of benefits retroactive to 7 October 2001.
http://www.dod.mil/releases/2005/nr20050701-3863.html

=============================================
SUV Writeoffs Take Priority Over Vets Health Care
=============================================

Amazing! We come up a billion short for veterans health care but we can blow several times that amount on 100% writeoffs for gas guzzling SUV's.
These are new benchmarks in arrogance and stupidity.
Go you Congress to Hell!

===================
Memorial Day : 2005
===================

http://www.i-announce.net/IAN/load.phtml?id=mday

================
Kentucky Veterans
================

http://www.i-announce.net/IAN/load.phtml?id=kpvets

================================
8 May 2005: 1579 Dead Troops in Iraq
================================

Read This: Weep For Their Mothers
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/050805Z.shtml

===============================
Initial Inaugural: May 7, 1789
===============================

George Washington Inaugurated First President of United States

=======================
Col. Hackworth : Dead at 74
=======================

2 DSC : 10 Silver Stars : 8 Purple Hearts
Told Eishenhower : The chow stinks.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/050605X.shtml

==================
The Road to VE Day
==================

9 May - VE Day

Harry Truman Addresses the Nation:
I wish Franklin Delano Roosevelt had lived to see this.
Nationwide Midnight Curfew Lifted
7 May - Germany surrenders unconditionally
5 May - German troops in Denmark and Netherlands surrender
2 May - Berlin falls - German troops in Italy surrender
30 April - Hitler commits suicide
29 April - Liberation of Dachau

================
Time
60th Anniversay Tribute
VE Day
America's Greatest Generation and Their WW II Triumph
$10.99 Newstands & Checkouts
Worth The Money
================

==========================
Flag Drapped Caskets at Dover
==========================

Includes links to Iraq wounded & astronauts
http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/coffin_photos/dover/

=================================
3 March 2005: 1502 Dead Troops in Iraq
=================================

The inmates are running the asylum.
Read about the crazies:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/030205B.shtml

=======================================
19 February 1945: John Basilone KIA Iwo Jima
=======================================

Many years ago I saw a marker on a bridge on the NJ Turnpike
It dedicated said bridge to John Basilone
I noted it and looked it up and found an amazing story
He must have been one of those who moved Nimitz to say:
Where does a nation get men like this?

http://www.i-announce.net/IAN/load.phtml?id=basilone

================================
Marines Raise Flag On Suribachi
================================

We best remember more than 6000 of our best died in this fierce battle.
We best remember a favorite Japanese trick:
Take an American and cutoff his hands and feet with a sword
Then his arms and legs at the elbow and knee
Then again at the shoulder and hip
Then behead the rest, drench a pile of these parts
with gas and set it all on fire.
We best remember and honor those who suffered such a fate.
We best remember everyone that ever served in harms way
so the rest of us could live the good life.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=iwo+jima&btnG=Search+News

Read This:
Thank God you are not on Iwo Jima

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7012940/

=================================
U.S. Troops Death Benefit Might Double
=================================

Pentagon is asking that death benefits for U.S. troops be doubled to $500,000
Retroactive to 1/1/2001 - way past time.
Let your Congressman know this is a no-brainer.
Fact is, why not urge $1 million.
The more a resource cost, the more more likely it is to be used wisely.
Might even lead to modest investment to increase their protection.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

==============
To Hell With Iraq
==============

26 Jan 2005
36 Dead American Troops
How much longer are we going to put up with the insanity?

This needless war was started based on bullshit lies from George Bush
concerning WMD and Iraq being complicit in 9/11 attacks.
Facts indicate both assertions were wrong and Bush knew it.
Nothing or nobody in Iraq is worth an American life.
End this needless slaughter and blight on our national honor.
Supporting the war and supporting the troops
are two vastly different things.
Bring our troops home!

http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/012305V.shtml

===================
Prayer For U.S. Troops
===================

May God bless you,
be with you,
keep you safe from harm
and touch you with His love until you are home.
Amen

===========
Thanksgiving
===========

I am thankful for my freedom.
To agree or disagree and say so. To go and come as I please and work in my field of choice, when, where and if I chose, for whom I like or not. To worship or not, whenever or if ever, I chose and where I chose.
I am thankful for being born American: nobody deserves a bigger break or better start.

More then anything though, I am thankful to all those would die tonight so I can wake up safe in the morning, in my house, in my bed, in my person.

To those who gave their life, I pledge eternal memory and thanks and to do my part to see your sacrifice was not in vain. Rest in peace.

===================
Commodity Prices
===================

Our forefathers said life and liberty in that order establishing the sanctity of life and,
with that settled, defined liberty as the next most important thing on earth.
Sadly we must periodically lay out a chunk of the former for the latter.
Our freedom was bought with the lives of countless veterans over 2 centuries.
That makes freedom very expensive, far moreso that safety. Yet their is a cult of so called leaders who casually talk of trading personal freedom and civil liberties for safety. Sadly, they have a following.
I wonder what their exchange rate might be:
1 gram of freedom per pound of safety would be exhorbitant.
Freedom and safety are not synonomous.
Freedom requires vigilance.
Freedom is not easy.
Freedom is for the brave.
Freedom is risky - check the price we paid.
Be leary of these people seeking the easy way out. Take the hits. Stay the course.
Trading freedom for safety hastens the day when we will have neither.
And it is an unspeakable affront to our veterans.
And it is a downright sin against all who died so the rest of us can have the good life.
New Hampshire has it right:
Live Free or Die

========================================
A Visit From The Founding Fathers
========================================

Have you ever wondered what reaction they would have if the Founding Fathers
could come back today and examine the product of their great blueprint?

I think of it often and always, it seems to me, they would weep. Firstly that
racism, ignorance, violence, poverty, privilege and the inequities bred as a
consequence of these factors still exist would cause them brief tears of sorrow.
But with some 300 million in population, no system could achieve perfection.

However, the basic belief in right and wrong, public education for all, concern by
the majority for the rights of any minority group, the respect for the rule of law
with an underlying trust of the population in the government they designed from scratch, exhibited by that same population growth, so swollen from Colonial times would bring forth tears of joy at succeeding beyond their wildest expectations.

The constitution they crafted extended from the words of the Declaration of
Independence, originally feared for creating an all too powerful federal
government instead is quoted by school children and is the model for that of each of fifty states, each independent but subordinate to the national authority.

More than two centuries have come and gone and they would find elections at
presidential, congressional and senatorial levels are still accomplished by their
original law.

They would find a standing armed force that answers to civilian authority. Once
feared as a mistake by the founders, now respected and loved for their devoted
service to guarantee our rights and freedom, with their lives if need be.

They would marvel at a standard of living that is the envy of the world where
wealth is not beyond reach and economic freedom is the rule rather than the
exception and the exception is generously supported by the many.

Mostly, I believe they would be overjoyed to travel the length and breadth of
America and find the good humor, sense of fair play and fierce love of freedom
endemic to our people.

Finally, they would be astounded at the universal acceptance by We the People
of the pledge of "our life, our fortune and our sacred honor".

Would they believe ours is the oldest continuous form of government on earth?
Would you?

============================
The Declaration of Independence
============================

......we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes
and our sacred honor.

July 4, 1776

Thats the deal, folks - all of us pledged to each other!
Pause a moment on the July 4th weekend and read the rest of it.

http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/charters/declaration.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Jefferson featured in July 5 issue of Time magazine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Order parchment reproduction at $12.95 or
Get get Declaration of Independence, Constitution & Bill of Rights for $29

http://www.patriotprintshoppe.com

Put yet another way

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/0705042.shtml

==============================
Congressional Medal of Honor
==============================

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...for conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=congressional+medal+of+honor

===============================================================
POST REMEMBRANCE OF NAMES ON THE WALL AT VIETNAM MEMORIAL
===============================================================

Virtualwall.org is a great website - visit it and you will agree.
http://www.virtualwall.org/postmemo.htm

============================================
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WW II VETERANS HISTORY
============================================

Read Veteran's Stories
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/vets/stories/wwiilist.html

Enter Veteran's Stories
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/vets/story.php

=======================
WAR LETTERS FROM PBS
=======================

Stories : Resources : Preservation
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/warletters/

==================
ANYONE CAN HELP!
==================

Contribute to help the families of American troops killed in action:
http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/foundation_heroesfund.html

=================================
U.S. TROOPS KILLED IN ACTION: IRAQ
=================================

Name, rank, branch, unit, by date
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-06-03-june-toll_x.htm

=======================
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWNS
=======================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Tomb of the Unknowns, near the center of the cemetery,
is one of Arlington's most popular tourist sites.
The Tomb contains the remains of unknown American soldiers from
World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War.
Each was presented with the Medal of Honor at the time of interment and the medals, as well as the flags which covered their caskets, are on display inside the Memorial Amphitheater, directly to the rear of the Tomb.

The Tomb is guarded 24-hours-per-day and 365-days-per year by
specially trained members of the 3rd United States Infantry (The Old Guard).

http://arlingtoncemetery.net/tombofun.htm
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&edition=us&q=tomb+of+unknown+soldier&btnG=Google+Search

-------------------------
The Old Guard
-------------------------

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/thirdinf.htm

================================================
HELP U.S. RESERVISTS: ALL ELSE EQUAL SHOP SEARS
================================================

Dear Customer,

Thank you for taking the time to let us know of your support for our actions regarding our associates who have been called into active duty.
As you may have read, Sears has extended its program of military pay differential to 36 months. This includes allowing Sears reservists who are full-time employees to continue participating in the company's life insurance, medical and dental programs, if they choose. Sears will also hold a comparable position for these individuals for up to five years.
Sears has a heritage of commitment to families and home.
This is a difficult time for military families, and we are proud to be able to take these actions to demonstrate support for our many co-workers who are serving our Nation.
Again, thank you for your correspondence.
We appreciate your interest in our efforts, and hope you will continue to make Sears your choice for quality and value.
Sears, Good Life. Great Price.

Sincerely,
The Employees of Sears, Roebuck and Co.

=============================
FORMER PRESIDENT DEAD AT 93
=============================

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.

Government does not solve problems: it subsidizes them.

Ronald Reagan
40th President of the United States of America
1911-2004

=================
TUSKEEGEE AIRMEN
=================

Read one of the great stories of WWII.
This all black unit assigned to escort bombers over Europe.
No plane they escorted was ever lost.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=tuskeegee+airmen

==============================
SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY
==============================

On the sixtieth anniversary of D-Day, wherever they may be, I want to
share my thoughts of the men of the 29th Division who were on Omaha
Beach that day. In Easton, you were my father's friends. In Crisfield,
you were my friends' fathers. In Bedford, your losses were the highest in USA.
Wherever home was then, you are revered now.

Boy and man, your memory has been a part of my daily life. I would tell
you that I love you for your courage and heroism. I would share with you
the unspeakable happiness of, and gratitude for, a lifetime of freedom
in a world rid of the maniac Hitler. I would tell you of my pride
whenever you marched in local parades, especially when you depicted a
military cemetery on a flatbed semi rig replete with the white marble crosses.
My knees buckled on that one. I would remind you, God said "there is no
greater love than to lay down your life that others might live". I would
tell you of the pure love of my children and my joy that they will never
know the tyranny of dictatorship or horror of enslavement. I would tell you
what a privilege it was growing up among you and your children. I would tell
you of my thoughts of the carnage on Omaha Beach and how I wondered
what kind of men your were.

I would remind you, Roosevelt came closer than most to putting it in words:
You were then, and you are now, the pride of our nation.

===========
D-DAY LINKS
===========

Museum
http://www.ddaymuseum.org
http://www.ddaymuseum.org/educational_links.html

Memorial
Bedford, Virginia
http://www.dday.org

The Bedford Boys
Bedford had highest WWII loss per capita in U.S
Buy the book and read it
http://amazon.com

==============================
CORRECT AN INJUSTICE OF D-DAY
==============================

Major Richard "Dick" Winters of Easy Company as depicted in Band of Brothers
was nominated by his commanding officer for the
Congressional Medal of Honor.

It has been denied all these years due to a quota system.
Can you imagine the injustice of a wartime quota on courage?
Read about this at
http://majordickwinters.com
and contact Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania on behalf of a great soldier.

========================================
PRINT SIGNED BY EASY COMPANY VETERANS
========================================

Purchase a print of Easy Company getting ready for
D-Day Jump or just right click on it an use it
for wallpaper on your monitor.

http://www.aviationarthangar.com/avarthaweweb.html

=======================
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL
=======================

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=pictures.asp&subpage=photos

Leading off the 2004 Memorial Day weekend was the 2PM dedication
of the World War II Memorial on Saturday.

It took too long to bring this to fruition and the older Americans know
full well that it depicts all the best of our greatest generation's deeds.

Heroism, courage, character, honor, duty, genius and more
were required and Americans provided all this in abundance.

Leadership, at the root, emanated from a giant struck with polio,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt or simply, our beloved FDR.

For the younger, imagine the Iraqi situation as a minor skirmish in a war
raging on all the oceans and all the continents simultaneously. Imagine a
war pitting armies, navies and air forces of nations against one another
on such a scale. Imagine 1 in 10 of all Americans, some 16 million,
serving somewhere, doing something to contribute to the inevitable
victory, often in harm's way at risk of life and limb. Imagine 1 in 40 of
those, some 400 thousand, that did not survive and of the pain for their
families. Imagine the countless wounded in action and think of those
held prisoner, especially those thousands on the death march. Imagine
living next door to a family who lost a child or parent or both - somewhere.

That is just the beginning. The memorial denotes participation of people
from every state in the union and immortalizes places like Pearl Harbor,
Bataan, Midway, Iwo Jima, Gaudalcanal, Anzio, Normandy, Battle of the
Bulge and Bastogne - carved in stone for the future just as they were
burned in our memory as the happened or just after, for more millions.

If you need a primer on the price of your freedom, look no further.
The price tag of freedom is the service and sacrifice of all that served.
For those who know nothing else, place freedom in perspective by
comparing it to slavery and murder as praticed by dictators.

Come here to remember and pay homage and gratitude to millions of
Americans who bought your freedom.
They deserve it and more for a job well done - very well done indeed.

===============
MEMORIAL DAY
===============

It is well and good and appropriate that we set aside one day annually to
complete a long weekend of remembrance for all who served while
searching in vain for the words to express our love for those
who never came home.

But is is a little different for a wretch like me whose local National Guard unit was on
Omaha Beach on D-Day.
These men performed heroically and some came home and went about their lives, though some friends lost their dad.
It is a little different to grow up in a town where the Sunday school teacher,
the cab driver, the baseball coach, the shopkeeper and others are war heroes.
It is a little different having these role models providing an example which
precludes fear and encourages honor and trust and patriotism.
It is a little different watching their spawn become the undefeated Maryland
State Class C basketball champions of the 1956/57 season.
It is a little different knowing people who would die for you and having friends
whose father did just that.
It is so different that every day is Memorial Day for a Crisfielder.

==============================
FOR LOVED ONES OF THE FALLEN
==============================

When American troops give their life and all their tomorrows for us and our today, they achieve equal footing with our national heroes, even our Founding Fathers.
Our troops also pledged their life, their fortune and their sacred honor.

That pledge transcends Founding Fathers and national heroes and the fallen.
Each of us were foresworn to our responsibility by that pledge.

I am moved to tears when I dwell on the fact, even for an instant, that so many are willing to die today so I can wake up safe tomorrow. This heroic willingness to die for each other is our noblest trait and the purest love.

We have our birthright of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because so many meet their responsibility. That's the deal. Some die for the rest of us. That makes freedom so precious we will not trade an ounce for a pound of safety, even with our own government.

Perhaps our adversaries will come to respect the combined will of nearly three hundred million of us willing to die for each other and realize we will not go quietly away.

It is good to recall the words that drive all this were uttered by another hero in the
Gettysburg Address:
"... government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth".
Be assured that neither Lincoln nor any fallen, died in vain nor did he die for naught.

Many around this country stop and think and pray for our troops daily and weep for those lost and recall the words and example of our Founding Fathers.
We share their pain and suffering for when one American is struck, so are we all.

I guarantee they will never be forgotten.
Nor their fallen comrades.
Not one. Not ever.

=========================
U.S. MILITARY CEMETERIES
=========================

Arlington
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net

Bivouac of the Dead
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bivouac.htm

Normandy
http://www.abmc.gov/no.htm

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==================
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For HTML code to put a link to USVETS.NET on your site
http://www.i-announce.net/IAN/code.phtml?id=usvets

See Also
http://www.i-announce.net/IAN/load.phtml?id=patsmenu