A SALUTE TO VETS

[IronDog]

<S> iron. thank you for what you and your friends did for us

  sir and thank you

[usvi]

This is a picture of my Father in WWII.He was a radio man T4 in the 101st Cavalry Recon. Squadron.His unit was in combat from after the Battle of the Bulge until the end of the war.



  To all Veterans and their families on this Memorial Day.

[waystin2]

This is a picture of my Father in WWII.He was a radio man T4 in the 101st Cavalry Recon. Squadron.His unit was in combat from after the Battle of the Bulge until the end of the war.

(Image removed from quote.)

  To all Veterans and their families on this Memorial Day.

 

[B2B]

    Thank you for your service Irondog, I'm proud to have you as a friend and as a squaddie. And my sincere thanks to all of our current and past service men and women for your sacrifices. I went to New York City last Wednesday, with a few friends, to enjoy the Fleet Week festivities. We toured the Intrepid carrier and got a chance to see the Iwo Jima. After several enjoyable hours we headed out and found a local bar (go figure) to quench our thirst. There we were, three old vets reminicing about our time in the service while drinking the afternoon away. After an hour or so, 6 young marines entered the bar. The three of us stood up and started clapping before they had a chance to order a drink. Within seconds the entire, crowded, bar began loudly clapping and cheering for them. What a great standing "O" for these fine young men. Not a dry eye in the house. Young people, old farts like us, bartenders, servers, and 6 young marines all in some state of teardom. Needless to say, they didn't have to pay for a beer that afternoon and evening. And they stayed and hung out when in fact they could have left and persued other, hormone related, interests. It was a mutual respect fest of first order. We shared our stories freely with them and they shared theirs. We told dirty jokes and talked about women. And we drank.
They had completed their first year of training as riflemen and were within weeks of being deployed overseas. They were all close buddy's by now, having endured the rigors of Marine Corps basic and advanced Infintry training. And we knew that they would bond even closer during the next year or so. Hopefully those friendships will last as long as some of the ones I've had over the past 40 years or so. Well, it got pretty drunk out, but we all stayed for quite awhile. There were parting hugs and atta-boys, and they left to the same standing "O" as when they entered. We were going home to our familes, they would be leaving for the war zone. I don't give a crap what your politics are, we owe these fine young men, and all others who are and have served, an enormous debt of grattitude. Godspeed to those 6 fine young men.

[HB555]

Thursday, 22 April, 1965, my 18th birthday.
A senior in high school. Arrive home and have mail from U.S. Government. Says they require my services.

Saturday, 24 April, 1965 07:00
First in line at United States Air Force recruiting office. Take AQE. Get Excellent score. Get scheduled for trip to Induction Center in Oakland, CA.

Flunk Physical due to kidney issue. 4F Classification issued. I am scared I will die in the next week.
Arrive home, see Doctor. Assured nothing serious (high albumen count) Back to Oakland.

Repeat above twice more with letters from doctors...same result.

Try one more time with letters from specialists. Classified 1Y and told NEVER return to Oakland Induction Center.

Fast forward two years, having lots of guilt the whole time, a friend comes back from Viet Nam.
No legs, no right arm,left arm removed from elbow area down, and mentally "not right" from shrapnel. He explains to me it's OK I did not go...He knows I tried. He helps me get over most of my guilt feelings, tells me my way of serving is to always say, "Thank You" to EVERYONE I ever meet that I know, or suspect is, a veteran or current member of any of our armed forces and dies 13 months after getting home.
At his funeral, his mother gives me his Viet Nam Service Ribbon and tells me to wear it in honor of her son.

Fast forward another 43 years to the present. I am 63, Still wear that ribbon on a Viet Nam Wall Memorial Hat ( always explaining to anyone that asks that I personally did not earn it ), and still keeping that earlier promise to my friend, I still say THANK YOU to every person I meet who is or was a member of our military.

From my family and myself, THANK YOU to all of you who have ever worn The Uniform, and THANK YOU to all family members and friends of veterans. I know of your sacrifice while your veteran was serving as well.

[OSU]

  to all who have fought and died for our country.

[HB555]

A man to remember...

27 May, 2010
SAN DIEGO — Retired Navy Lt. John Finn — the first American to receive the nation's highest military award for defending sailors under a torrent of gunfire during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor — died Thursday. He was 100.

Finn was the oldest of 97 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II still living. He died at a nursing home for veterans in Chula Vista, outside San Diego, according to a Navy statement.

Despite head wounds and other injuries, Finn, the chief of ordnance for an air squadron, continuously fired a .50-caliber machine gun from an exposed position as bullets and bombs pounded the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay in Oahu. He then supervised the rearming of returning American planes.

"Here they're paying you for doing your duty, and that's what I did," Finn told The Associated Press before his 100th birthday. "I never intended to be a hero. But on Dec. 7, by God, we're in a war."

[Bruv119]

A man to remember...

27 May, 2010
SAN DIEGO — Retired Navy Lt. John Finn — the first American to receive the nation's highest military award for defending sailors under a torrent of gunfire during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor — died Thursday. He was 100.

Finn was the oldest of 97 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II still living. He died at a nursing home for veterans in Chula Vista, outside San Diego, according to a Navy statement.

Despite head wounds and other injuries, Finn, the chief of ordnance for an air squadron, continuously fired a .50-caliber machine gun from an exposed position as bullets and bombs pounded the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay in Oahu. He then supervised the rearming of returning American planes.

"Here they're paying you for doing your duty, and that's what I did," Finn told The Associated Press before his 100th birthday. "I never intended to be a hero. But on Dec. 7, by God, we're in a war."

 

[badhorse]

I am all for the "support our troops" that we hear nowdays. It is well deserved.

To all my Vietnam Veteran brothers I just want to say... welcome home.

 

[IronDog]

  Thank you for your service Irondog, I'm proud to have you as a friend and as a squaddie. And my sincere thanks to all of our current and past service men and women for your sacrifices. I went to New York City last Wednesday, with a few friends, to enjoy the Fleet Week festivities. We toured the Intrepid carrier and got a chance to see the Iwo Jima. After several enjoyable hours we headed out and found a local bar (go figure) to quench our thirst. There we were, three old vets reminicing about our time in the service while drinking the afternoon away. After an hour or so, 6 young marines entered the bar. The three of us stood up and started clapping before they had a chance to order a drink. Within seconds the entire, crowded, bar began loudly clapping and cheering for them. What a great standing "O" for these fine young men. Not a dry eye in the house. Young people, old farts like us, bartenders, servers, and 6 young marines all in some state of teardom. Needless to say, they didn't have to pay for a beer that afternoon and evening. And they stayed and hung out when in fact they could have left and persued other, hormone related, interests. It was a mutual respect fest of first order. We shared our stories freely with them and they shared theirs. We told dirty jokes and talked about women. And we drank.
They had completed their first year of training as riflemen and were within weeks of being deployed overseas. They were all close buddy's by now, having endured the rigors of Marine Corps basic and advanced Infintry training. And we knew that they would bond even closer during the next year or so. Hopefully those friendships will last as long as some of the ones I've had over the past 40 years or so. Well, it got pretty drunk out, but we all stayed for quite awhile. There were parting hugs and atta-boys, and they left to the same standing "O" as when they entered. We were going home to our familes, they would be leaving for the war zone. I don't give a crap what your politics are, we owe these fine young men, and all others who are and have served, an enormous debt of grattitude. Godspeed to those 6 fine young men.

Thanks B2B and the same sentiments for you my friend.Sounds like you you had a great time that day.We are proud of are service to our country.All men and women in uniform deserve support from the people in the U.S.A.I still have a hard time looking at the names on the wall.Many of them were my buddies,and all were my brothers in arms
IronDog

[ReDeViL2]

Was in a store the other day,and I was wearing a USMC tee shirt,and this younger man walked over and shook my hand.He asked me what I did while I was in,and when and where was I stationed.I told him I was grunt,Leg,whatever you prefer,and I was with the 3rd Marine division.in Viet Nam.He shook my hand again,and said thank you for what you did for your Country.I don't recall being greeted like that when I got home, and I appreciated that young man.To all you vets  ,and for all my friends I served with it's been a long time,and I will never forget you guys.

I make it mandatory when I see any Vet that I walk up and shake their hand and tell them thank you.  Most do not know how important it is to a Vet to be thanked because many of us have friends that came home and those that didnt.  Remember as well, all wounds are not always on the outside!

                                                                                                                                            R.I.P-SGT Tim Smith KIA Iraq 2008, LCPL Phillip Martini KIA Iraq 2006

                                                                                                                                             SGT Sincavitch,  Scott M. (HD) Afghanistan 05-06, 06-07.

[TOMCAT21]

Frank, thanks brother. Looking forward to flying with ya soon.<S> thanks to those who support us and the ones we leave behind. The fallen are never forgotten, they are always remembered. Sacrifice is something we all have done, some are great, some are small. As memorial rolls on, I have made  alot of sacrifices but I do not regret serving or enlisting for that matter. Lost friends and comrades alike, I weep for them all. It is my chosen path and I will deploy until we are done or I am done <S> to you all.  Mostly to my dad, who has always been my hero-SSG Irving" Bud" Kaufmann 3RD ID/36th INF 1944-1946 

[HighTone]

  to all our Vets

[VANDALS]

 

[321BAR]

I thought this would be appropriate <S>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V84STSWVp3g&feature=related

Again, to all veterans past and present, Thank You