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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321 |
Although he did not die in service to our nation I remember Maj. Jerome Wilson, USMC, my dear friend and muzzleloading mentor. He flew Corsairs in combat in WWII and Korea, flying off of at least 13 different carriers. He served for a time with VMF-214, which some will recognize as the "Black Sheep Squadron", and later with VMF-235. He flew in the movie "The Flying Leathernecks", starring John Wayne.
"Mr. Jerry", as many affectionately called him, was like a father to me. He was bigger than life, and when we lost him in 2001 I told his widow that it did not feel real because he was too big to die. Thank you, Mr. Jerry, for your years of service to our great nation.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,284 Likes: 365
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,284 Likes: 365 |
Will leave this poster at the WWII memorial tomorrow as usual.....and have three posters for the VN memorial. Freedom is not Free.
Baluch are not Brahui, Brahui are Baluch
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496 |
James P Emery Father WW1 france James Son D Day First wave. Charles Korea Vietnam Robert Korea [still present] Son John USMC[still present] A history we are proud of and honor them on this day every year.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,209 Likes: 223
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,209 Likes: 223 |
Happy Memorial Day to all veterans. It is a mystery to me how all veterans who post on internet sites seem to have been a member of a famous combat unit and have also been involved in a famous battle. I'm not complaining, but I was in the U.S. Army in 1967 to 1969, a "great time" to be an infantryman, was not in a unit that is famous and was not involved in any combat battle that anyone would recognize by name. I find it strange, maybe suspect, that so many veterans were in such units and in such battles. I regard myself as a hero because I volunteered, I went where I was told, regardless of the dangers that were out there. On another subject, today's volunteers are subjected to the same dangers I was, but there is a difference. I was subjected to 13 months of danger if I were sent to a combat zone and today's volunteers are subject to tour after tour of danger with no guarantee of an end to the tour of danger. I knew what the end was, today's soldier does not know where the end is. Congratulations and thanks to today's volunteer soldiers who most certainly have it worse than I did. Thank you so much for your service on this Memorial Day.
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
Today, Stan- we all honor all the brave men who served our Country, regardless of branch of service, combat zones, world-wide, as the world of today is a perilous one. As a Marine, I appreciate your comments about "Mr. Jerry"--But I respect All branches of our military- those brave men and women whose commitment to our Stateside security. Semper Fi RWTF
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,221 Likes: 667
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,221 Likes: 667 |
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
Ronald Reagan, 40th POTUS JULY 6, 1987
Last edited by Lloyd3; 05/25/20 05:45 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 496 |
eightbore: Having read your' reply I couldn't help but reply. Having served in such a unit I always felt that to talk of it with others that served and had not been fortunate or unfortunate to have been selected I always felt they deserved the same respect as any other soldier that put their life on the line. That said this is now that was then. God bless our nation.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321 |
Yes, Francis, I agree. All branches of service.
Another I remember today is Maj. Charles (Madman) Kelly, my cousin's husband. He lost his life "medivacing" wounded from a hot zone in Vietnam on 1 July, 1964. He is credited with being the driving force behind instituting the use of choppers (Operation Dustoff) to evacuate wounded from battle zones. I attended his funeral as a 12 yr. old lad. It made a lasting impression on me with taps bugled, the gun salute, and the missing man formation fly-by.
From Wikipedia:
Kelly was killed in action on July 1, 1964, when, after being warned out of a hot LZ, he replied, "When I have your wounded." A bullet entered through an open cargo door and pierced his heart. Major Kelly became the 149th American to die in Vietnam. The following day, an officer tossed the bullet on his desk in front of Kelly's successor, Captain Patrick Henry Brady and asked if they were going to stop flying so aggressively. Brady picked up the bullet and replied, "we are going to keep flying exactly the way Kelly taught us to fly, without hesitation, anytime, anywhere."[1]Kelly is buried in Georgia[2]
Days like this I remember the closing scene of the movie "Saving Private Ryan". As an old man he is visiting the grave of John Miller who was instrumental in saving his life and helping him get home. He says to the fallen Miller's grave "I hope that at least in your eyes I have earned all that you have done for me". That is my wish, too, to live a life worthy of the sacrifices made so that I and my family may live free.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,284 Likes: 365
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,284 Likes: 365 |
Memorial Day on the Mall. Two things...first it was 67 degrees at 1030 hrs on Memorial Day...never in my life have I seen it below 85. And second...the whole mall was quasi-deserted. WWII Memorial, VN Memorial all were open. People just chose to stay away. Here's the VN Memorial about 1100 hrs today. Amazing.
Last edited by Argo44; 05/25/20 07:26 PM.
Baluch are not Brahui, Brahui are Baluch
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321 |
Remembering CPL Russell Evans, Sylvania, GA. Panel W23, Line 26, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. "Rusty" loved little hydroplanes, and shooting pool.
Gone, but not forgotten.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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