Happy Hour

"IF A LIFETIME CAN BE LIKENED TO A DAY, THEN THIS IS HAPPY HOUR!"
BUCK PENNINGTON

Mother, Mother Ocean

Mother, Mother Ocean, I've heard you call
Wanted to sail upon your waters since I was three feet tall
You've seen it all, you've seen it all
Watched the men who rode you, switch from sails to steam
In your belly you hold the treasures, few have ever seen
Most of 'em dream, most of 'em dream
Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred year's too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

Yoda

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."
―Yoda, to Luke Skywalker

Counted the Stars

Counted the stars on the 4th of July
Wishing we were rockets bursting in the sky
Talking about redemption and leaving things behind
I have these pictures and I keep these photographs
To remind me of a time
These pictures and these photographs
Let me know I'm doin' fine
We used to be so happy once upon a time
Once upon a time
But the sun sank west of the Mendocino County Line
And the sun sank west of the Mendocino County Line


""SOME SEE A GLASS AS HALF FULL, SOME SEE IT AS HALF EMPTY, I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO’S DRINKING MY RUM."
Rumbear
Showing posts with label Remember. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Remember. Show all posts

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Pass this story on to future generations: theChive

This was in theChive's Weekly Weekap this morning. There are some great photos, some with good captions.

I was able to visit Missouri in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in late 1979 with my parents and my toddler daughter.

I have to admit that it was a sobering experience.

Here are few of the pictures from the post.

This is the USS Missouri (BB-63), better known as "Mighty Mo".



From a historical perspective, the USS Missouri is arguably one of the most famous ships the world has ever seen.  Let's begin with an over-view of some of her many feats.

From a historical perspective, the USS Missouri is arguably one of the most famous ships the world has ever seen. Let’s begin with an over-view of some of her many feats.

These achievements over such a long period of time are amazing but it is one other event in which history will forever remember this ship.

These achievements over such a long period of time are amazing but it is one other event in which history will forever remember this ship.

b-Kamikaze-USS-Missouri-600-0

An iconic photo of the Surrender of The Empire of Japan officially surrendering on board Missouri. I have stood on this very spot.



The rest of the pictures are at the link below. I hope you all enjoy them.



(1) Photos of Kamikaze Crash into Navy USS Missouri Battle during WW2 WWII : theCHIVE

Sunday, December 07, 2014

Pearl Harbor Day

Not the best I have ever done. Not by a long shot. This is it, though.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor was a real wake up call for the then isolationist United States.
When ships enter and leave Naval Station Pearl Harbor, the crew Man's The Rail in Dress Blues or Dress Whites and Honors are Rendered.
Before the causeway was built to Ford Island, we always did the same when passing the remains of USS Utah on the other side of Ford Island.
Our Traditions in the Sea Service are deep and almost iron clad. We hold them dear in our hearts, until the day we depart this Earth.
So, on this Day, I give a little bit of history to you all.
May Their Memories Be A Blessing.
"Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God! Adonai is One!" and,
"Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our God – Adonai alone."





























I found the following at the Daily Signal.........................................
Always Remember. Always.

Monday, May 26, 2014

And Touched The Face Of God

This was posted on Facebook by a friend of mine. I used to know that poem by heart when I was a child.
Thought perhaps all would like to read this piece from Townhall. It is quite moving. There will be dust in the air.........................
And Touched The Face Of God
HIGH FLIGHT
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark nor even eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

John Gillespie Magee

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Memorial Day. Two Poems.

I thought perhaps these were fitting...................
Just me folks. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Can't think of anything else that works...................................
To all my Brethren......................Anchors Aweigh, Semper Fi, Semper Paratus, Army Strong, Aim High.................................
ORPO sends............................................

 WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.

Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.

Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
(Note)
And go to Fiddlers' Green. 




Wednesday, March 06, 2013

One year ago............................................

We in the blogosphere lost one of the best...................................Our Good Captain, Carroll "Lex" Lefon.
The best post for me personally was that of Buck at Exile in Portales.
It was titled simply, Tears.................................................................We all shed them that day................
Tears



In his element, outside the cubicle.

Lex and Mary


A few of The Lexicans at Fort Rosecrans for the Memorial Service

RIP, Captain.  Thank you for all you did, for everyone. We miss you, terribly..........................

 

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Taps

Just found out today about this.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantonio/obituary.aspx?n=mark-carroll&pid=156620493&fhid=8892#.UNc2BvHqpk8.facebook
It is a few months old as we just found out.
Mark and I were in The Argonauts of VA-147 together.
One of the guys came up with a pic that was taken on The Good Ship Kitty Hawk when we were on our World Cruise during the Shellback Initiation.
Here it is.

AD3 Mark Carroll tying his boot on a spotting dolly. The CO and I are behind him.

Sunday, May 08, 2011

US Special Forces go after Mullah Omer, Ayman Zawahiri, Seif al-Adel: DEBKAfile

A good read over there at DEBKA. Go and check it out.
About time we really went after them. Should have carpet bombed any suspected hiding places a long time ago.
http://www.debka.com/article/20914/
The title is the same as I have on this post.

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Kindsbach, Pfalz

We lived in this village in 1968 while Dad was working on the Autovon Telecom system for the Air Force and Army.
I think this is the street, Am Kindsberg. We were upstairs on the right at the corner.

Barenloch. Spent some time here.
Highway 40 looking west. Down that way was Landstuhl.
This is the intersection we turned at to go to our apartment. Across from the yellow house is the street that led up the hill to it. The school bus to K-Town American stopped here in the morning and afternoon. Big Green Army Bus!
Just goofing off and bingo. Flashback. Maybe I should save up and go to Germany and Italy(wife would like that!) For me it is sort of a bucket list thing.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Sean Linnane: WOUNDED IRAQ VET JEERED AT COLUMBIA

Sean Linnane: WOUNDED IRAQ VET JEERED AT COLUMBIA
Ive League students. Still stupid as they were in the sixties and seventies.
I wonder what the admission requirements at Columbia are? Must have a block for raving lunatic or idiot maggot?
Gotta wonder.
I guess the parents of the current schmucks are proud from the days of Vietnam.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Read it. Remember. Reflect.

I learned this as a kid, in two countries.
The United States and Canada. Written by a Canadian Army Doctor in WW1. Still appropriate today as on Veterans Day/Remembrance Day/Armistice Day. Depends on where and when you have lived as to what it is called.
Memorial Day began as Decoration Day. I still remember nothing being open for business on this day.
And My Great Grandpa Wambeke came to this Land from Flanders. It is in the blood.
I will not go down and tell my children I didn't have the courage, the conviction, the commitment or the character to fight for this country...Don't go home and let your children down~~ LTC Allen West

Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus

‎"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.("Therefore, he who desires peace, let him prepare for war")" from "Epitoma Rei Militaris," by Vegetius (Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus)