Random Thoughts, Writings, Pics, & Stuff

These are just things people have sent us or that we have come across in our travels through cyber space we wanted to share with you.

 
Dear Hero,

I was in my twenties during the Vietnam era. I was a single mother and, I'm sad to say, I was probably one of the most self-centered people on the planet. To be perfectly honest. I didn't care one way or the other about the war. All I cared about was me-how I looked, what I wore, and where I was going. I worked and I played. I was never politically involved in anything, but I allowed my opinions to be formed by the media. It happened without my ever being aware. I listened to the protest songs and I watched the six o'clock news and I listened to all the people who were talking. After awhile, I began to repeat their words and, if you were to ask me, I'd have told you I was against the war. It was very popular. Everyone was doing it, and we never saw what it was doing to our men. All we were shown was what they were doing to the people of Vietnam .

My brother joined the Navy and then he was sent to Vietnam . When he came home, I repeated the words to him. It surprised me at how angry he became. I hurt him very deeply and there were years of separation-not only of miles, but also of character. I didn't understand.

In fact, I didn't understand anything until one day I opened my newspaper and saw the anguished face of a Vietnam veteran. The picture was taken at the opening of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington , D.C. His countenance revealed the terrible burden of his soul. As I looked at his picture and his tears, I finally understood a tiny portion of what you had given for us and what we had done to you. I understood that I had been manipulated, but I also knew that I had failed to think for myself. It was like waking up out of a nightmare, except that the nightmare was real. I didn't know what to do.

One day about three years ago, I went to a member of the church I attended at that time, because he had served in Vietnam . I asked him if he had been in Vietnam , and he got a look on his face and said, "Yes." Then, I took his hand, looked him square in the face, and said, "Thank you for going." His jaw dropped, he got an amazed look on his face, and then he said, "No one has ever said that to me." He hugged me and I could see that he was about to get tears in his eyes. It gave me an idea, because there is much more that needs to be said. How do we put into words all the regret of so many years? I don't know, but when I have an opportunity, I take it so here goes.

Have you been to Vietnam ? If so, I have something I want to say to you-Thank you for going! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me for my insensitivity. I don't know how I could have been so blind, but I was. When I woke up, you were wounded and the damage was done, and I don't know how to fix it. I will never stop regretting my actions, and I will never let it happen again.

Please understand that I am speaking for the general public also. We know we blew it and we don't know how to make it up to you. We wish we had been there for you when you came home from Vietnam because you were a hero and you deserved better. Inside of you there is a pain that will never completely go away and you know what? It's inside of us, too; because when we let you down, we hurt ourselves, too. We all know it and we suffer guilt and we don't know what to do so we cheer for our troops and write letters to "any soldier" and we hang out the yellow ribbons and fly the flag and we love America. We love you too, even if it doesn't feel like it to you. I know in my heart that, when we cheer wildly for our troops, part of the reason is trying to make up for Vietnam. And while it may work for us, it does nothing for you.

We failed you. You didn't fail us, but we failed you and we lost our only chance to be grateful to you at the time when you needed and deserved it. We have disgraced ourselves and brought shame to our country. We did it and we need your forgiveness. Please say you will forgive us and please take your rightful place as heroes of our country. We have learned a terribly painful lesson at your expense and we don't know how to fix it.

From the heart,

Julie Weaver
237 East Gatewood Circle
Burleson, Texas 76028-8948

It was the Veterans

It was the VETERANS, not the preachers,
who gave us our freedom of religion. 

It was the VETERANS, not the reporters,
who gave us our freedom of the press. 

It was the VETERANS, not the teachers,
who gave us our freedom of speech. 

It was the VETERANS, not the campus organizers,
who gave us our freedom to assemble. 

It was the VETERANS, not the lawyers,
who gave us our the right to a fair trial. 

It was the VETERANS, not the politicians,
who gave us our right to vote.

It is the VETERANS who salute the Flag,
who serve under the Flag,
and whose coffins are draped with the Flag
that gave us our freedom !

God bless America ! 


And God bless the VETERANS
who served under the Flag.

Obtained from Lou Mulsand

Why Do We Ride?

Why do we do this, you ask?
Why bother to stand out in wind and rain for someone unknown?
Why do we ride through torrents chilled to the bone?
The answer is simple:  “Because, Never Again!”

Never again will they return home in shame,
Never again will wearing their uniform cause them pain.
Never again will we forget why they serve.
No, Never Again.

But still I hear you say “Why does it matter to you?”
“They aren’t your friends, 
your brothers, your sisters, 
your father, your mother.”
War is a sad time for many; it is sad but true.
So, why do you gather in the gap between their families and their foes?
The answer is simple:  “Because, Never Again!”

Never again will grieving parents, families and friends alone bear mourning’s toil.
Never again will hard-won freedom of speech be used to debase and destroy.
Never again will their sacrifice be dishonored upon their home soil.
No, Never Again.

Why do we gather, why do we ride?
Why travel this country far and wide?
We remember our grandfathers, fathers, brothers and others yet to come.
We stand proud through tears reflecting their courage and pride.
Because, Never Again.

That’s why we ride.

Sent in by Scott Golden

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,

Jesus Christ and the American G. I.
One died for your soul;
the other for your freedom. 

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON
AS MANY LATELY, SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM!

Sent in by Ken Tinker

Best quote ever. This guy is good. Can we make him Prez????   

In a recent interview, General Norman Schwartzkopf was asked if he thought there was room for forgiveness toward the people who have harbored and abetted the terrorists who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks on America

His answer was classic Schwartzkopf.

The General said, "I believe that forgiving them is God's function. OUR job is to arrange the meeting.

AMEN

Sent in by Ken Tinker

THIS IS AWESOME!!!

There is a huge rock near a gravel pit on Hwy. 25 in rural Iowa.
For generations, kids have painted slogans, names, and obscenities on this rock, changing its character many times. A few months back, the rock received it's latest paint job, and since then it has been left completely undisturbed. It's quite an impressive sight.

Be sure to scroll down and check out the multiple photos (all angles) of the rock.

Thought the flag was draped over the rock,
but it's not. It's actually painted on the rock too.

The Artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen.

AWESOME Work, RAY...Thank you!

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL THAT IT STANDS FOR!!

"God Bless America " 
& 
"Our Soldiers & Vets"

 
Sent in By Jessiesgirl

Things sure have changed in the last 60 years, especially peoples patriotism toward their own country. I guess that’s what comes from having it so good for so long. People don’t appreciate what they have and what it took to get it.

Someone once said (I can’t remember who) those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
 
PEARL HARBOR photo found in an old Brownie stored in a footlocker   
These are very interesting photo's and hard to believe they were taken by a Brownie, some 60 odd years ago. The 13th picture is really interesting, taken as her magazines exploded. This was probably the Arizona.
Interesting piece of our history.... 

THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM A SAILOR WHO, I'M TOLD, WAS ON THE USS QUAPAW ATF-11O. INTERESTING AS I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM ANYWHERE ELSE.  I THINK THEY'RE SPECTACULAR.
PEARL HARBOR 
December 7th, 1941

Pearl Harbor - On Sunday, December 7th, 1941 the Japanese launched a surprise attack against the U.S. forces stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  By planning his attack on a Sunday, the Japanese commander Admiral Nagumo, hoped to catch the entire fleet in port.  As luck would have it, the Aircraft Carriers and one of the Battleships were not in port. (The USS Enterprise was returning from Wake Island, where it had just delivered some aircraft.  The USS Lexington was ferrying aircraft to Midway, and the USS Saratoga and USS Colorado were undergoing repairs in the United States.)
In spite of the latest intelligence reports about the missing a aircraft carriers (his most important targets), Admiral Nagumo decided to continue the attack with his force of six carriers and 423 aircraft.  At a range of 230 miles north of Oahu, he launched the first wave of a two-wave attack. Beginning at 0600 hours his first wave consisted of 183 fighters and torpedo bombers which struck at the fleet in Pearl Harbor and the airfields in Hickam, Kaneohe and Ewa. The second strike, launched at 0715 hours, consisted of 167 aircraft, which again struck at the same targets.
At 0753 hours the first wave consisting of 40 Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" torpedo bombers, 51 Aichi D3A1 "Val" dive bombers, 50 high altitude bombers and 43 Zeros struck airfields and Pearl Harbor.  Within the next hour, the second wave arrived and continued the attack.
When it was over, the U.S.losses were: 
Casualties 
USA : 218 KIA, 364 WIA. 
USN: 2,008 KIA, 710 WIA. 
USMC: 109 KIA, 69 WIA. 
Civilians: 68 KIA, 35 WIA. 
TOTAL: 2,403 KIA, 1,178 WIA. 
------------------------------------------------- 
Battleships 
USS Ari zona (BB-39) - total loss when a bomb hit her magazine. 
USS Oklahoma (BB-37) - Total loss when she capsized and sunk in the harbor. 
USS California (BB-44) - Sunk at her berth. Later raised and repaired. 
USS West Virginia (BB-48) - Sunk at her berth. Later raised and repaired. 
USS Nevada - (BB-36) Beached to prevent sinking. Later repaired. 
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) - Light damage. 
USS Maryland (BB-46) - Light damage. 
USS Tennessee (BB-43) Light damage. 
USS Utah (AG-16) - (former battleship used as a target) - Sunk. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Cruisers 
USS New Orleans(CA-32) - Light Damage.. 
USS San Francisco(CA38) - Light Damage. 
USS Detroit(CL-8) - Light Damage. 
USS Raleigh (CL-7) - Heavily damaged but repaired. 
USS Helena(CL-50) - Light Damage. 
USS Honolulu(CL-48) - Light Damage.. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Destroyers 
USS Downes (DD-375) - Destroyed. Parts salvaged. 
USS Cassin - (DD-37 2) Destroyed. Parts salvaged. 
USS Shaw (DD-373) - Very heavy damage. 
USS Helm (DD-388) - Light Damage. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minelayer 
USS Ogala (CM-4) - Sunk but later raised and repaired. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Seaplane Tender 
USS Curtiss (AV-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
Repair Ship 
USS Vestal (AR-4) - Severely damaged but later repaired. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
Harbor Tug 
USS Sotoyomo (YT-9) - Sunk but later raised and repaired. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Aircraft 
188 Aircraft destroyed (92 USN and 92 U.S. Army Air Corps)
Acquired from Clay Tumlin

The Military
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, 
tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half 
man, half boy Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough 
to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his 
own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either. 

He's a recent High School graduate, he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend 
that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. 
He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howitzer. 
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. 
He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly an d without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues. He washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low. He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his is short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every no te of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful, Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this a country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.  And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so. As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot.. A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.

When you finish reading this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air, and for those in Iraq.

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

 
Sent in by Ken & Sue Tinker

 
Do you know?
I didn't know!
How could we?

 
Did you know that 47 countries' have reestablished their embassies in  Iraq?

Did you know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated,
364 schools are under rehabilitation,
263 new schools are now under construction
and 38 new schools have been completed in Iraq ?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities,
46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers,
all currently operating?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005
for the re-established Fulbright program?

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational?
They have 5 - 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.

Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons,
which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft
(under Iraqi operational control)
which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 Bell Jet Rangers?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000
fully trained and equipped police officers?

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq
that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in  Iraq?
They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations,
22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5
have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq
and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations,
180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?
 OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!

WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW?
OUR  MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

Instead of reflecting our love for our country,
we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib
and people throwing snowballs at the presidential motorcades.

Tragically, the lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes:

It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States
thus minimizing consequent support,
and it is intended to discourage American citizens.
Above facts are verifiable on the Department of Defense web site.

 
Sent in by Clay E. Tumlin

I was just a biker and a person with friends and a family.

But, you didn't see me.

Sent in by Clay E. Tumlin

A minute worthy video 

A heart felt tribute

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2487638612433437293&q=Veterans

Pause