Archive for the ‘Military’ Category

It’s Veteran’s Day

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

I’ve put a lot of my service time out of my mind, for various reasons, and I haven’t kept up with my old buddies that much, either. Still, if you’re a veteran, you have my thanks. And my sympathies, given the election results. I remember how things were under Carter, and they have to be worse now.

There are a few dates I try to remember each year

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

One of them is ANZAC Day.

Happy Birthday to …

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

Elvis Presley, who would have been 77 today.

The song of the day is not one of his, though. It’s an old fiddle tune written to commemorate a famous battle.

Time to be the big boss

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

I missed this when it happened, and didn’t know about it until I saw it in the latest issue of my alumni magazine. I knew Jon when we were mids, but haven’t seen him since.

Good to see that some of us are making something of ourselves.

A date which will live in infamy

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

It’s the 70th anniversary of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. There are few veterans of the attack remaining; the Pearl Harbor Survivor’s Associations is disbanding because of it.

It was a terrible day for the United States, but it could have been much worse. Note that the comments, however, state that some of what Admiral Nimitz said was incorrect.

There doesn’t seem to be as much notice being taken of it this year as there was the last time it was a “round number” anniversary. Freeberg has some things to say about the subdued nature of the remembrances this year.

For Veteran’s Day

Friday, November 11th, 2011

I’ve posted this before (not on Veteran’s Day), but it’s worth posting again:

A veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of ‘up to and including their life.’

Memorial Day

Monday, May 30th, 2011

There was a video I wanted to post for today, but I couldn’t track it down. Perhaps I’ll find it in time for Veteran’s Day. Since I couldn’t find it, I’ll repost some past Memorial Day items.

First, a poem Robert Service wrote after World War I:

PILGRIMS

For oh, when the war will be over
We’ll go and we’ll look for our dead;
We’ll go when the bee’s on the clover,
And the plume of the poppy is red:
We’ll go when the year’s at its gayest,
When meadows are laughing with flow’rs;
And there where the crosses are greyest,
We’ll seek for the cross that is ours.

For they cry to us: Friends, we are lonely,
A-weary the night and the day;
But come in the blossom-time only,
Come when our graves will be gay:
When daffodils all are a-blowing,
And larks are a-thrilling the skies,
Oh, come with the hearts of you glowing,
And the joy of the Spring in your eyes.

But never, oh, never come sighing,
For ours was the Splendid Release;
And oh, but ’twas joy in the dying
To know we were winning you Peace!
So come when the valleys are sheening,
And fledged with the promise of grain;
And here where our graves will be greening,
Just smile and be happy again.
And so, when the war will be over,
We’ll seek for the Wonderful One;
And maiden will look for her lover,
And mother will look for her son;
And there will be end to our grieving,
And gladness will gleam over loss,
As – glory beyond all believing!
We point … to a name on a cross.

And remember, when you think of those who gave their all for their country:

A veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of ‘up to and including their life.’

Old home week

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

So, I’m staying at home today because I’m sick, and I’m watching a rerun of Junkyard Wars on the Science Channel. It’s an episode from 2002 in which the teams had to make hydrofoils, and it’s an episode I haven’t seen before.

Imagine my surprise when their judge turned out to be one of my old Naval Academy classmates, Pete Squicciarini.

It’s been a quiet day

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Which is nice for Veteran’s Day. Quiet gives you time for contemplation. Some good food for thought can be found at Blackfive – just keep scrolling down; there are several Veteran’s Day posts worth reading. I also like Bunk’s post about his grandfather in World War I.

I suppose it *could* be considered an offensive weapon system

Sunday, October 17th, 2010

Depending, of course, on what music is being played.