President’s Memorial Day Weekend Remarks… Saturday, May 26 2012 

Coast Guard and Comarade Obama and Hero and Memorial Day and Military and Obama and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy , , , , , , 1IDVET 08:01

I’m not going to hammer him. But I think this day was/is meant to honor our dead, not the living. The living have two days devoted to them, this one is for those that gave their last measure of devotion to this country and for those that served and eventually passed on. It is our duty to remember them for their sacrifices.

“Duty then is the sublimest word in the English language. You should do your duty in all things. You can never do more, you should never wish to do less.”
10 points if you guess who said that.

At any rate, here’s President Obama’s remarks:

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
May 26, 2012

This weekend, folks across the country are opening up the pool, firing up the grill, and taking a well-earned moment to relax. But Memorial Day is more than a three-day weekend. In town squares and national cemeteries, in public services and moments of quiet reflection, we will honor those who loved their country enough to sacrifice their own lives for it.

This Memorial Day, Michelle and I will join Gold Star families, veterans, and their families at Arlington National Cemetery. We’ll pay tribute to patriots of every generation who gave the last full measure of devotion, from Lexington and Concord to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Later that day, we’ll join Vietnam veterans and their families at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial—the Wall. We’ll begin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It’s another chance to honor those we lost at places like Hue, Khe Sanh, Danang and Hamburger Hill. And we’ll be calling on you—the American people—to join us in thanking our Vietnam veterans in your communities.

Even as we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we reaffirm our commitment to care for those who served alongside them—the veterans who came home.  This includes our newest generation of veterans, from Iraq and Afghanistan.

We have to serve them and their families as well as they have served us: By making sure that they get the healthcare and benefits they need; by caring for our wounded warriors and supporting our military families; and by giving veterans the chance to go to college, find a good job, and enjoy the freedom that they risked everything to protect.

Our men and women in uniform took an oath to defend our country at all costs, and today, as members of the finest military the world has ever known, they uphold that oath with dignity and courage. As President, I have no higher honor than serving as their Commander-in-Chief.  But with that honor comes a solemn responsibility – one that gets driven home every time I sign a condolence letter, or meet a family member whose life has been turned upside down.

No words can ever bring back a loved one who has been lost. No ceremony can do justice to their memory. No honor will ever fill their absence.

But on Memorial Day, we come together as Americans to let these families and veterans know that they are not alone. We give thanks for those who sacrificed everything so that we could be free. And we commit ourselves to upholding the ideals for which so many patriots have fought and died.

Thank you, God bless you, and have a wonderful weekend.

 

Gravesites of Veterans in Shocking Disrepair… Friday, May 25 2012 

Coast Guard and Hero and Memorial Day and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , 1IDVET 09:19

This is NOT how a nation should treat its defenders of freedom.  This is how we treat their final resting place? This is how we say thank you for your sacrifices?

This is not what America is about. A nation that disrespects her veterans doesn’t deserve the benefits of their sacrifices.

It’s despicable.

Around nation, gravesites of veterans in shocking disrepair

By Mike Jaccarino

The final resting places for many of the men and women who fought America’s wars have fallen into shocking disrepair, with neglect, theft and vandalism prompting veterans groups to question the nation’s commitment to honoring its dead soldiers.

Advocates say smaller federal, state, county and private cemeteries that contain the graves of service members are often poorly kept, marked by crumbling headstones, overgrown with weeds and littered with debris. Perhaps even worse, many veterans’ gravesites have been targets of vandalism and theft.

via Around nation, gravesites of veterans in shocking disrepair | Fox News.

 

Sgt. Julia Bringloe Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross… Wednesday, May 9 2012 

Afghanistan and Hero and Military and US Army , , , , 1IDVET 13:01

God loves medics. So do the grunts. Here’s a special one.

This 39-Year-Old Woman Enlisted Five Years Ago And Is Already An American Hero

When Army Sgt. Julia Bringloe received the Distinguished Flying Cross during a Manhattan ceremony last week it wasn’t for any one particular thing that she had done.

Bringloe, 39, received the honor for dozens of courageous acts performed during a 60-hour mission where she and her medevac crew rescued 14 wounded soldiers.

Erik German from The Daily talked to Bringloe and her helicopter crew about Operation Hammerdown and the nearly three days they spent flying into, hovering above, and dropping in, to extreme danger and live combat.

via Sgt. Julia Bringloe Rescued More Than A Dozen Soldiers During A Deadly 60 Hour Mission – Business Insider.

 

The Pledge Wednesday, Apr 11 2012 

Hero and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy , , , , , , 1IDVET 06:42

Remember. Always remember.

The Pledge

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

So far in April, nine American service members have made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan while upholding the patriotic pledge that millions of schoolchildren recite each morning.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Smith, 24, Licking, Missouri

Staff Sgt. Christopher Brown, 26, Columbus, Ohio

Capt. Nicholas Rozanski, 36, Dublin, Ohio

Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Rieck, 45, Columbus, Ohio

Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Hannon, 44, Grove City, Ohio

Spc. Jeffrey White Jr., 21, Catawissa, Missouri

Cpl. Alex Martinez, 21, Elgin, Illinois

Spc. Antonio Burnside, 31, Great Falls, Montana

via The Unknown Soldiers: The Pledge.

 

Vietnam Veterans Day… Thursday, Mar 29 2012 

Coast Guard and Comarade Obama and Hero and History and Military and Military History and Obama and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , 1IDVET 10:49

Presidential Proclamation — Vietnam Veterans Day

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On January 12, 1962, United States Army pilots lifted more than 1,000 South Vietnamese service members over jungle and underbrush to capture a National Liberation Front stronghold near Saigon.  Operation Chopper marked America’s first combat mission against the Viet Cong, and the beginning of one of our longest and most challenging wars.  Through more than a decade of conflict that tested the fabric of our Nation, the service of our men and women in uniform stood true.  Fifty years after that fateful mission, we honor the more than 3 million Americans who served, we pay tribute to those we have laid to rest, and we reaffirm our dedication to showing a generation of veterans the respect and support of a grateful Nation.

The Vietnam War is a story of service members of different backgrounds, colors, and creeds who came together to complete a daunting mission.  It is a story of Americans from every corner of our Nation who left the warmth of family to serve the country they loved.  It is a story of patriots who braved the line of fire, who cast themselves into harm’s way to save a friend, who fought hour after hour, day after day to preserve the liberties we hold dear.  From Ia Drang to Hue, they won every major battle of the war and upheld the highest traditions of our Armed Forces.

Eleven years of combat left their imprint on a generation.  Thousands returned home bearing shrapnel and scars; still more were burdened by the invisible wounds of post-traumatic stress, of Agent Orange, of memories that would never fade.  More than 58,000 laid down their lives in service to our Nation.  Now and forever, their names are etched into two faces of black granite, a lasting memorial to those who bore conflict’s greatest cost.

Our veterans answered our country’s call and served with honor, and on March 29, 1973, the last of our troops left Vietnam.  Yet, in one of the war’s most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected — to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example.  We must never let this happen again.  Today, we reaffirm one of our most fundamental obligations:  to show all who have worn the uniform of the United States the respect and dignity they deserve, and to honor their sacrifice by serving them as well as they served us.  Half a century after those helicopters swept off the ground and into the annals of history, we pay tribute to the fallen, the missing, the wounded, the millions who served, and the millions more who awaited their return.  Our Nation stands stronger for their service, and on Vietnam Veterans Day, we honor their proud legacy with our deepest gratitude.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 29, 2012, as Vietnam Veterans Day.  I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the Vietnam War.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

 

Honor and Remember… Friday, Mar 16 2012 

Coast Guard and Hero and Military and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , , , , , , 1IDVET 05:56

I heard this on the Dennis Miller show this morning. It is a organization that is trying to get a flag recognized by the US and the states, for fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and the Coast Guard, that have died in combat.

I lost a good friend in Iraq in 2006. I think about him every day. I think this is a worthy cause and deserves your support. Please go to their website and check out the flag, and donate, sign their petition, buy a flag, spread the word.

Thanks.

Honor and Remember

In the more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been an officially designated symbol that reminds us specifically of the sacrifice made by members of our military and the lives lost in service to our country.We propose the Honor and Remember Flag as the national emblem for that purpose.

via Honor and Remember, Inc..

 

31 January 1968: Tet Offensive began in South Vietnam Tuesday, Jan 31 2012 

Hero and History and Military and Military History and Truth and US Air Force and US Army and US Marines and US Navy and Veterans , , , 1IDVET 14:34

Let’s not forget our brothers-in-arms from Vietnam. To those that served thank you. To those that died, rest in peace. All gave some, some gave all.

This day in history:

On January 31, 1968, some 70,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched the Tet Offensive (named for the lunar new year holiday called Tet), a coordinated series of fierce attacks on more than 100 cities and towns in South Vietnam. General Vo Nguyen Giap, leader of the Communist People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN), planned the offensive in an attempt both to foment rebellion among the South Vietnamese population and encourage the United States to scale back its support of the Saigon regime. Though U.S. and South Vietnamese forces managed to hold off the Communist attacks, news coverage of the offensive (including the lengthy Battle of Hue) shocked and dismayed the American public and further eroded support for the war effort. Despite heavy casualties, North Vietnam achieved a strategic victory with the Tet Offensive, as the attacks marked a turning point in the Vietnam War and the beginning of the slow, painful American withdrawal from the region.

More

 

BLACKFIVE: The Last Known Sighting of an American Hero Friday, Sep 2 2011 

Hero and History , , , 1IDVET 10:23

Go to Blackfive and make sure you check this out:

BLACKFIVE: The Last Known Sighting of an American Hero.

Sign the petition:

To:  United States

A PETITION TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH TO AWARD THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO C.R.”RICK” RESCORLA FOR HEROISM AND GALLANTRY BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY ON SEPTEMBER 11,2001.

MR. RESCORLA CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AS AN IMMIGRANT TO BECOME AN OFFICER IN THE ARMY. MR RESCORLA SERVED WITH SUCH DISTINCTION AS AN OFFICER IN VIET NAM THAT ALL WHO SERVED WITH HIM CONSIDER HIM THE BRAVEST MAN WE HAVE EVER KNOWN. HE WAS HIGHLY DECORATED FOR HIS BRAVERY AND LEADERSHIP IN COMBAT. HE BECAME A US CITIZEN AND SOUGHT A HIGHER EDUCATION OBTAINING A BACHELOR AND MASTERS DEGREE AT UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND FURTHER OBTAINING A LAW DEGREE BEFORE SERVING A AS TEACHER AT USC LAW SCHOOL BEFORE BEING LURED TO THE WORLD OF COMMERCIAL BANKING. MR. RESCORLA’S SPECIALTY WAS SECURITY AND SECURITY LAW. IN 1993 HE WAS THE LAST MAN OUT OF THE TRADE TOWERS AFTER EVACUATING EVERYONE. ON SEPT.11TH IN SPITE OF BEING TOLD HIS BUILDING WAS NOT IN DANGER, HE IMPLEMENTED THE EVACUATION PLAN HE HAD DEVELOPED FOR HIS FIRM, MORGAN STANLEY. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS EFFORTS THAT DAY AND HIS QUICK ACTION, OVER 2600 EMPLOYEES WERE SAVED. MR RESCORLA WAS LAST SEEN GOING UP TO RESCUE PEOPLE WHO WERE UNABLE TO GET DOWN. HIS ACTIONS REFLECT THE VERY BEST ABOUT AMERICA, ITS CITIZENS AND ITS DREAMS.

THE UNDERSIGNED URGE YOU TO RECOGNIZE MR RESCORLA BY BESTOWING THIS HIGHEST HONOR TO THIS MOST DESERVING MAN.

Sincerely,

 

Great Loss to America… Monday, Aug 8 2011 

Afghanistan and Hero and Military and Terrorism and US Air Force and US Army and US Navy , , , , , , 1IDVET 05:31

To the many SEALs, Soldiers, and Airmen that were lost over the weekend may your spirits be at rest now. Your duty is done.

Rest in peace.

And to their families for raising such men, my sincerest condolences for your loss.

Please read Onward.

 

D Day Remembered… Monday, Jun 6 2011 

Hero and Military and Truth and US Air Force and US Army and US Navy and Veterans , , 1IDVET 06:18

Today is the 67th anniversary of the invasion of Europe.

June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot- hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high -more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded — but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler.

It was the largest amphibious operation conducted in history.

It was a turkey shoot for the Nazis.

Yet they kept on storming the beach until there was a beach head.

Thousands were killed and wounded to start the liberation of Europe.

Medics were in high demand.

Eventually, Europe was liberated from the Nazi tyranny.

We remember their service, sacrifice and dedication to the freedoms that we all enjoy to this day. Without them, the world would be considerably different today.

To all the men and women that made this day what it is, I salute you all for a job well done.

Here are some related posts:

Before D-Day, there was D-38, at Slapton Sands.

Currahee! The Airborne goes in.

D-Day – We weren’t the only ones there, we had Allies

D-Day, the Navy on the beaches

Sixty-seven years ago …

June 6, 1944: D-Day in Normandy

D-Day: 67th anniversary

 

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