Veterans Blog

"If I die before you wake..."

This song titled If I die before you wake  was written by Dustin Evans, Rick Tiger & Dave Brainard and performed by Dustin Evans...dedicated to our soldiers who are serving a cause greater than all of us!

Back home now I know you're probably sleepin'
Over here it's the middle of the day
I finally found the time to write a letter
Sittin' here a half a world away

I heard about all them folks protestin'
As if I really want this war
But that don't stop me from believin'
There's just some things worth fightin' for

CHORUS
And if I die before you wake, I pray the world will take
A good look at what God's given us
That we could only understand, everything is in his hands
All we need is a little faith and trust
I want you to know it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake

Tell everybody that I miss them
And I can't wait to get back home
But until then I'll serve my country
And be proud to wear this uniform

CHORUS
No it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake

Dustin, Rick, and Dave...great song and, Thank You for your service!

Chopper pilot lessons that could still be true today

This ones for my helicopter brethren...chopper pilot lessons learned during Vietnam but still true even today....Submitted for inclusion in  "My Little Sister's Jokes" on July 2, 2008 by a former helicopter pilot and now blacksmith Dick, Williamsport, Md.

Ok, refill that coffee cup...ready ...here we go!

1. Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if it was a good idea.

2. There is no such thing as a "fun" hot LZ.

3. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time,
it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do.

4. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy.

5. The engine RPM, and the rotor RPM, must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew.

6. There are only two kinds of helicopter pilots: those that have crashed, and those who are going to.

7. Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover you.

8. Letters from home are not always great.

9. The madness of war can extract a heavy toll. Please have exact change.

10. Always remember that helicopters are different from airplanes. Helicopters are thousands of pounds of parts all flying in loose  forma tion often in opposition to each other, and unlike airplanes, they fly by beating the air into submission.

11. Decisions made by someone over your head will seldom be in your best interest.

12. The terms "Protective Armor" and "Helicopter" are mutually exclusive terms.

13. The further away you are from your friends, the less likely it is that they can help you when you really need them the most.

14. Being good and lucky is not enough, there is always payback.

15. "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant.

16. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised.

17. The B.S.R. (Bang, Stare, Read) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges.

18. The longer you stare at the gauges, the less time it takes them to move from green to red.

19. The sole purpose of our helicopters is to support our grunts. Anyone who forgets that has forgotten the mission.

20. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. So too can the ones addressed "To Whom It May Concern".

21. Gravity may not be fair, but it is the law.

22. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need.

23. If you are wearing body armor, the incoming will probably miss that part.

24. It hurts less to die with a uniform on than to die in a hospital bed.

25. Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.

26. If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to.

27. Eat when you can. Sleep when you can. Visit the head when you can. The next opportunity may not come around for a long time, if ever.

28. Combat pay is a flawed concept.

29. Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day beats the alternative.

30. Air superiority is NOT a luxury.

31. It is always a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time.

32. Nothing is as useless as altitude above you and runway behind you.

33. While the rest of the crew may be in the same predicament, it's almost always the pilot's job to arrive at the crash site first.

34. When you shoot your weapon, clean it the first chance you get.

35. Loud sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention.

36. Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations, which, in turn is better than cold C-rations, which is better than no food at all. All of these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them.

37. WHAT is often more important than WHY.

38. If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.

39. Girlfriends are fair game. Wives are not.

40. Everybody 's a hero on the ground in the officers club and after the fourth drink.

41. There is no such thing as a small firefight.

42. A free-fire zone has nothing to do with economics.

43. The farther you fly into the mountains (or over water), the louder the strange engine noises become.

44. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is a whole lot better.

45. The only medal you really want to be awarded is the Longevity Medal.

46. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded.

47. In helicopters, there is no such thing as "a good vibration."

48. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas. Any combination of these can be deadly.

49. Nomex is NOT fire proof.

50. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the Rules.

51. Living and dying can both hurt a lot.

53. While a Super Bomb could be considered one of the four essential building blocks of life, powdered eggs cannot.

54. C-4 can make a dull day fun.

55. Cocoa Powder is neither.

56. There is no such thing as a fair fight, only ones where you win or lose.

57. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose you don't care.

58. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. What is important is what you are doing NOW to solve our problem.

59. If you have extra, share it quickly.

60. Always make sure someone has a P-38.

61. A sucking chest wound may be God's way of telling you it's time to go home.

62. Prayer may not help...but it can't hurt.

63. Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these however, are better than extraction by a Med-Evac, even if this is technically a form of flying.

64. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home.

65. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR.

66. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every helicopter flown in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life simply because someone forgot this fact.

Amazing isn't it!  I wonder who comes up with this good stuff?  Probably someone that's   "auto-rotated"  too many times.  Anyway...thank you for the humor and thank you for your service.  I'm glad you were always there doing what you do! 

The Toolbox

The following piece was previously included in the ASMBA's e-newsletter in June 2008 under the same title, simply the "The Toolbox!" Afterwards, I received numerous feedback from fellow veterans, each retelling their stories about how others they served with helped shape their persona. I have included a few of these stories at the end. After reading this post, please tell us your story...we all have something to share!

During our time in the service there are those individuals that, in one way or another, stand out as influential people who have indirectly or directly impacted our lives and ultimately our careers. As a side note, one of my favorite movies is "Follow Me Boys" staring the late Fred MacMurray. In the movie, Fred MacMurray becomes an at first reluctant scoutmaster in a small town. As the movie reveals, MacMurray and his wife, played by Vera Miles, discover that they cannot have children, so they find comfort in life nurturing and guiding the young boys who are members of the scout troop. One boy in particular, played by Kurt Russell (his first Disney movie) they adopt.

At the end of the movie, there is a retirement celebration for Fred MacMurray as scoutmaster and it is attended by nearly all of his former scouts. MacMurray and the other townspeople become misty eyed when they reflect on the fact that these scouts have had a significant impact on the local community, in State government, at the Federal level, and society in general (i.e. one is now the governor, another the mayor, one scout is a U.S. Senator, some are lawyers, some doctors, some were highly decorated soldiers, etc.) and they all attribute their success in life to Fred MacMurray’s influence and his leadership skills. I remember a similar theme in "Mr. Holland’s Opus", with Richard Dreyfuss. My point here is to help some of our younger service members to understand that what they say and do does, and will, make a difference in the lives of people around them and with whom they serve.

I remember my first commanding officer, Colonel Warren D. Curton. He had a presence that made him special and which garnered our respect whenever he spoke. I just remembered that he always seemed to remember my name (for good reasons...I think?) and that impressed me since we had over 100 cadets in AFROTC at Baylor during my freshmen year. Years later, I found out that Colonel Curton was a WWII flying ace. You know, he never mentioned it, I guess looking back I’m not surprised!

Reflecting some more, I still remember the names of my instructors during undergraduate pilot training and while I attended B-52 Combat Crew Training and Instructor school. However, I’m not sure they would remember my name easily since they probably had numerous students over the years. I guess they made an impression on me because they did things by the book and taught me the importance of flying safety by always following the rules. I remember my many supervisors who encouraged me in my work and trusted my judgment. They made me feel that I had a place in the bigger picture! I remember my first command and the realization that people were looking to me to set an example so they could follow my lead. A responsibility I never took lightly, especially when I was Professor of Aerospace Studies at Auburn University. It dawned on me my very first day on the job...this is where I started my Air Force journey, AFROTC, except that now I was setting the example and I wondered how many of these future officers down the road would remember my name. Hopefully they would recall that I was fair, personable, and always tried to do the right thing, especially when nobody was seemingly looking!

Over the years I tried to prepare myself for leadership roles by taking what I learned and putting them in what I metaphorically call "the toolbox"! Very often during my career I would have to open up my "toolbox" and reflect on what I had learned from my mentors, my instructors, my supervisors, my commanders, my contemporaries, my friends, and of course my parents and relatives to bring me through some tough times. Not everything in the toolbox has been used. Some of it will never be used because those tools have been replaced by better tools. However, I knew it was there if I needed it and if the situation warranted their use. In fact, I still have that same toolbox with me...I guess I’ll always have that toolbox with me. It’s not something you can easily lend out without instructions on how to use its contents.

So I don't believe I can focus on one human being that was a direct influence over my 30 year military career, except to say that I was fortunate enough to have served with some pretty amazing soldiers who instilled in me a sense of camaraderie, duty, integrity, and patriotism. To all of you...thank you for your patience, your encouragement, and your service. God Bless you and your families! God Bless America!

Just a few stories I received:

I'll always remember the first Commander I had, Col. Dick A. Cable at Cape Cod Air Force Station. Col. Cable was always optimistic, and always in a good mood. But more than anything, he always made you feel like you were important. As a young airman, he called my Mom and Dad to tell them of things I had accomplished, and this meant a lot to my parents. I took away from him to ensure my subordinates always felt they were accomplishing something. Thank you Col. Cable.

Joseph Proulx
Retired, TSgt, USAF
Orlando FL

After just recently retiring from the United States Army I have looked back over my 20+ years about the people that have influenced me. I was going to use this same kind of speech during my retirement ceremony but since I retired out of Korea I never got the chance – until now.

The first person that comes to my mind would be my first supervisor at Camp Darby, Italy. SSG Wilson wasn’t much of a people person. There are some stories that I could tell you but I would like to keep this as clean as possible. I was new to the Army and after being granted my security clearance I went to work for SSG Wilson. Needless to say, I was I little afraid of him. While waiting for my clearance, I heard "stories of the grumpy SSG" working in the SCIF. He treated me like a private (that I was) for the first several months. But after I proved myself to him things started to change. He started treating me with more respect and giving me more responsibilities. After 20 years I still ask SSG Wilson for advice.

Second would be SFC William Caldwell. I met Bill while I was going through AIT. We were both good old country boys from PA. He was there at Ft. Gordon re-classing into my MOS. He graduated about 2 months before I did and left. After I graduated, I was stationed with him at Camp Darby, Italy. Bill and his wife Gail (of 20+ yrs) would open their home during the holidays for the single soldiers from the barracks. If you needed a shirt to wear he would give you the one off his back. If you broke down on the side of the road – he would stop. I have kept in touch with Bill over the past 20 years and during his last duty assignment before his retirement he was my supervisor. Still married to Gail and they have two beautiful daughters. I like to think that over the years that I have helped people. While my family and I were stationed in Germany we had the single soldiers from the barracks to my house for the holidays. Those were some of my most cherished memories from the military.

The last person that I would like to talk about was SFC John Downing. John was my supervisor while I was in Germany. One of the hardest working people I’ve ever seen in my life. He expected the same from his soldiers. There was a period of time in Germany where I just relaxed a little too much. When John became my supervisor we sat down and had a talk. He put it bluntly that I was lazy. I was a little ticked off at the time – but he opened my eyes. As I spent more and more time with John, he mentored me and I feel that his work ethic has rubbed off on me. Thank you, John.

Here is little more information that I have learned over the years:

Family is everything (always remember that)
Have fun
Relax
Don't take things so seriously
Be nice to everybody – even if they are not nice to you
Don’t burn your bridges

I thinking that I have rambled on enough. I hope this information/advice helps somebody

Jeffery Schartiger
US Army Retired

Remember...we all have something to share! Thank you for your service!

When Wounded Veterans Come Home

I discovered this piece on the AARP website and found it very distressing. The broadcast is titled When Wounded Vets Come Home and highlights the fact that families of many wounded veterans are becoming their primary caregivers, and support from government and the military is, in many cases, woefully inadequate.

It goes on to conclude that the Veterans Administration has been lacking in collaborating with outside agencies on coordinating assistance for our severely wounded soldiers. The broadcast is very informative and ASMBA is exploring targeted areas in which we can assist injured veterans and family caregivers in the future. To all of our veterans...Thank You for your service! To all caregivers assisting veterans...Thank You for your support and sacrifices! God Bless!

Well...You Could Have Heard a Pin Drop!

A good friend just passed me this snippet that just made my day!  The video You Could Have heard a Pin Drop can be viewed on YouTube.  Here is the transcript of that clip, I hope you like it.

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building' by George Bush .  He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.  The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return. Well…You could have heard a pin drop!
   
Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American.  During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done?  He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims.  What does he intended to do, bomb them?'  A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand  gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen  helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their  flight deck.'  We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?  Well...You could have heard a pin drop!

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies.  At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries.  Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.'  He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'  Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied  'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'  Well...You could have heard a pin drop!
   
AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...
A group of retired American teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane...At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. 'You have been to France before, monsieur?' the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.   'Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.' The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it.' 'Impossible.   Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France !'  The American Senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look.  Then he quietly explained. 'Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44 to help liberate this country, I couldn't  find any Frenchmen to show it to.'  Well…You could have heard a pin drop!
   
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran'—whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve—
is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made
payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.'

That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today, who no longer understand that fact.

To  veterans everywhere...thank you for your service and for writing that check!

Character Does Count: Room 7, Hanoi Hilton

In late 2000, Cdr Air Group (CAG) Jim Stockdale, Room 7 Senior Ranking Officer (SRO) asked his old friend, By Fuller to provide a list of the roommates of Room 7, Hanoi Hilton as of Christmas 1970. The roommates of this room were extraordinary, both at the time of incarceration, and then later in freedom.

Refill your cup of coffee...you’re going to find this blog post amazing!

Room 7 had the first organized church service to be held in the prisons of North Vietnam. Permission was asked for by Stockdale, and twice denied by the Camp Commander. The room was warned not to do it. Room 7 decided to do it anyway. They even had a choir. Their solemn service quickly caught the eye of the guards and authorities. Armed guards rushed into the room to break up the "ominous" unauthorized meeting. Ringleaders, Risner, Coker and Rutledge were led out of the room with guards at each arm (they were headed for more Heartbreak Hotel, solitary confinement and lots of punishment). Bud Day was the one who then jumped up on his bed and started to sing "The National Anthem" and "God Bless America." The entire room burst into song. Then Rooms Six, Five, Four, Three, Two and One joined in succession.  These songs of pride and defiance were loud enough to be heard outside the 15-foot walls of the Hanoi Hilton. As Robbie marched out the door, his back straightened with pride. He held his head high.

Robbie later recalled his thoughts as his roommates burst out in song, "I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch." Thirty one years later, on November 16, 2001 a nine-foot tall bronze statue of Brigadier General Robinson Risner, USAF would be dedicated on the central plaza of the United States Air Force Academy. To Bud Day (principal speaker), Ross Perot (the sponsor of the project), and dozens of Robbie's Room-Seven roommates at the ceremony, it seemed more fitting to call the statue "life size." Photos: Dedication of B/Gen Robbie Risner's Statue - USAFA 16-18 November 2001

CAG, knowing what the VC  reaction would be, was heard to remark something to the effect, "Well, I guess we just can't stand prosperity." Our camp, yet unnamed, from that moment on became known as "Camp Unity."  The guards protested, but the songs continued. Shortly thereafter, Vietnamese troops entered each room in force. They had their hats secured with chinstraps in place, they had fixed bayonets, and they were mad! They quickly backed the POWs against the walls with a bayonet in each POW's stomach. The singing immediately ceased as the troops burst through the doors. The VC later claimed that they had put down a riot. It wasn't a real riot, but it was a lot of fun until the soldiers entered the room. Several roommates of Room 7 were jerked out the next day. The next day, Orson Swindle in Room 6 tapped the following message on the wall: "Damn, you'd have to get in line to get in trouble in that crowd!!"

Thanks to By Fuller for the gut work of putting together this  facts sheet. Paul Galanti and Mike McGrath assisted. This historical document is dedicated to a fearless leader, Vice Admiral Jim Stockdale, CAG.  Here's what the men of Room 7 accomplished:

Roster of "Room 7" on 26 December, 1970 (Hanoi Hilton):
Name: Shootdown rank: Days captive:
1. Brady, Al Cdr, USN 2236
2. Coker, George Lt (jg), USN 2381
3. Coskey, Ken Cdr, USN 1650
4. Craner, Bob (Deceased) Maj, USAF 1911
5. Crayton, Render LCdr, USN 2562
6. Crow, Fred LCol, USAF 2170
7. Crumpler, Carl LCol, USAF 1713
8. Daniels, Vern Cdr, USN 1966
9. Daughtrey, Norlan Capt, USAF 2751
10. Day, Bud Maj, USAF 2027
11. Denton, Jerry Cdr, USN 2766
12. Doremus, Rob LCdr, USN 2729
13. Dramesi, John Capt, USAF 2163
14. Dunn, Howie (Deceased) Maj, USMC 2624
15. Fellowes, Jack LCdr, USN 2381
16. Finlay, Jack LCol, USAF 1781
17. Franke, Bill Cdr, USN 2729
18. Fuller, By Cdr, USN 2060
19. Gillespie, Chuck (Deceased) Cdr, USN 1968
20. Guarino, Larry Maj, USAF 2801
21. Gutterson, laird Maj, USAF 1846
22. Hughes, Jim LCol, USAF 2130
23. James, Charlie Cdr, USN 1761
24. Jenkins, Harry (Deceased) Cdr, USN 2648
25. Johnson, Sam Maj, USAF 2494
26. Kasler, Jim Maj, USAF 2400
27. Kirk, Tom LCol, USAF 1964
28. Lamar, Jim LCol, USAF 2474
29. Larson, Swede LCol, USAF 2130
30. Lawrence, Bill Cdr, USN 2076
31. Ligon, Vern (Deceased) LCol, USAF 1942
32. McCain, John LCdr, USN 1966
33. McKnight, George Maj, USAF 2655
34. Moore, Mel Cdr, USN 2185
35. Mulligan, Jim Cdr, USN 2521
36. Pollard, Ben Maj, USAF 2120
37. Risner, Robbie LCol, USAF 2706
38. Rivers, Wendy LCdr, USN 2715
39. Rutledge, Howie (Deceased) Cdr, USN 2633
40. Schoeffel, Pete LCdr, USN 1988
41. Shumaker, Bob LCdr, USN 2923
42. Stockdale, Jim Cdr, USN 2713
43. Stockman, Hervey LCol, USAF 2093
44. Stratton, Dick LCdr, USN 2250
45. Tanner, Nels LCdr, USN 2338
46. Webb, Ron Capt, USAF 2093
47. Gary Anderson (Deceased) Lt (jg), USN 2151

Total days in captivity: 108,116
Man-years in captivity: 296.21

Here's a brief history of the 47 men:

• Made Admiral rank (Stockdale O-9, Lawrence O-9, Shumaker O-8, Denton O-8,  Fuller O-8).
• 1 Made General rank (Risner O-7)
• 40  Others stayed in the military and attained the following ranks: (USMC 1 Col--Dunn; Navy 1 Cdr--Coker; AF 1 LCol--Daughtrey; AF 19 Colonels--Craner, Crow, Crumpler, Day, Dramesi, Finlay, Guarino, Gutterson, Hughes, Kasler, Johnson, Kirk, Lamar, Larson, Ligon,  McKnight, Pollard, Stockman, & Webb; Navy 18 Captains--Brady,  Coskey, Crayton, Daniels, Doremus, Fellowes, Franke, Gillespie,  James,  Jenkins, McCain, Moore, Mulligan, Rivers, Rutledge,  Schoeffel, Stratton, & Tanner.
• 1   Became U.S. Congressmen (Johnson, Texas; McCain, Arizona).
• Became U.S. Senators (Denton, Alabama; McCain, Arizona).
• 1 Was a Vice Presidential candidate (Stockdale).
• 1 Was a Presidential candidate (McCain).
• 2 Received the Medal of Honor (Stockdale, Day). Day resumed his career as a lawyer.
• 3 Received the Navy Cross (Denton, Coker, Fuller). (3 of the 4 POWs to receive this award were from this room. Red McDaniel was the 4th POW to receive the award).
• 4 Made escapes. All were recaptured, all were tortured. (Dramesi, Coker, McKnight, Day).
• 2 Were jet aces from the Korea War (Risner: 9 kills in F-86; Kasler: 6 kills in F-86).
• 1  First pilot to fly over Russia in U-2 spy aircraft (Stockman).
• 1  Was shot down 4-15-1944 in Germany. POW until April 1945. 26th mission in P-47 (Ligon)
• 1  Shot down 3 German planes during WW II. Flying British aircraft (Guarino). Flew 156 missions in Sicily, India, China and Indo-China.
• 1  Flew 62 missions in Korea War. Got credit for 1 kill, 1 damaged, 1 probable kill against Mig 15s (Johnson).
• 7 Received the Air Force Cross (Kasler--3 awards; Risner--2 awards; Dramesi: 2 awards, Day, Kirk, Guarino & McKnight each received one award).
• 4 Were Navy Test Pilots (Stockdale, Lawrence, Gillespie, & Franke).
• 1 Flew with the Thunderbirds (Johnson).
• 11  Were USNA graduates (Brady '51, Denton '47, Fellowes '56, Fuller '51, Gillespie '51, Lawrence '51, McCain '58, Rivers '52, Schoeffel '54, Shumaker '56, & Stockdale '47).
• 2  Were Landing Signal Officers (LSOs); (Stockdale, Tanner).
• 1 Escaped the B-52 community and got into combat flying the F-105G (Larson).
• 1 Has a daughter who is an astronaut, gone into space three times (789 hours).  She is presently in training as a crewmember of the International Space Station. (Lawrence).
• 1 Was a Navy Air Wing Commander (CAG): (Stockdale, (COMAIRGRU 16).
• 1 Commanded a Navy Carrier, USS America.  Later became Battle Group Commander ñCARGRU 4 Commander (Fuller).
• 10 Were Squadron Commanders (Coskey (VA-85), Day (TBD), Denton (VA-75), Franke, Fuller (VA-76), Gillespie, Jenkins VA-163), Lawrence (VF-143), Ligon (11th TRS) and Larson (469th TFS) when shot down), Schoeffel (VA-83).
• 5 Were Squadron Executive Officers (Daniels, Moore, Mulligan, Rutledge, & Brady). They were shot down before they could make Squadron Commander.
• 10   Authored books:
               a.     Day: Return With Honor.
               b.     Denton: When Hell Was In Session.
               c.     Dramesi: Code of Honor.
               d.     Guarino: A POW's Story: 2801 Days in Hanoi.
               e.     Johnson: Captive Warriors: A Vietnam POW's Story.
               f.      McCain: Faith of My Fathers.
               g.     Mulligan: The Hanoi Commitment.
               h.     Risner: The Passing of the Night.
               i.      Rutledge: In the Presence of Mine Enemies.
               j. Stockdale: Courage Under Fire; In Love and War; A Vietnam Experience; Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot.
• 4 Became Presidents/Commandants/Superintendents of institutions of higher learning: (Stockdale: resident of the Citidel and President of the Naval War College; Lawrence: Superintendent of the USNA; Shumaker: Superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School; and Denton: Commandant of Armed Forces Staff College).
• 2  Built their own airplanes: (Jenkins: Long EZ; Shumaker: Glassair).Pollard is currently flying sail planes.
• 1  Was the first active duty Naval Aviator to fly Mach II (Lawrence).
• 1  Was first Naval Aviator to land on an aircraft carrier in 0/0 fog with a newly developed Aircraft Carrier Landing System (Gillespie). Yes, it was an emergency low fuel state!
• 2 Naval Aviators were in the final selection groups (before shoot own) for the Mercury Astronaut Program (Lawrence, Shumaker).

Many of the members of Room 7 either served during wars prior to Vietnam, or who saw combat in theatres other than Vietnam

WW II:

• Vern Ligon: USA Air Corps, 25 missions, P-47 pilot, POW in Stalag Luft 1, 1944-45, escaped once, recaptured.
• Larry Guarino: USA Air Corps, 156 missions in Sicily, India, China and Indo-China. Spitfires.
• Hervey Stockman: USA Air Corps. 68 missions, P-51.
• Jim Kasler: USA Air Corps, 7 missions as tail gunner, B-29.
• Harry Jenkins & Gordon Larson were Navy V5 cadets and,
• Fred Crow was an Army Air Corps aviation cadet when WW II ended.
• Bud Day: Corporal, USMC, 30 months in south and central Pacific, April 1942-Nov 1945.
• By Fuller and Carl Crumpler: Enlisted in US Navy summer of 1945. Saw boot camp by the end of WW II.
• Fred Crow and Al Brady: were Navy dependents at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

Korea:

• Robby Risner: USAF, 108 missions, F-86. Mig Ace with 9 kills.
• Jim Kasler: USAF, 100 missions, F-86, Mig Ace with 6 kills.
• Howie Rutledge: USN, 200 missions, F9F-2 as a Flying Midshipman.
• Harry Jenkins: Served aboard USS Fred T. Berry (DD-141) off coast of Korea. Flying Midshipman.
• Tom Kirk: Flew missions in Korea (we need more information from Tom).
• Larry Guarino: USAF, Air Defense Alert missions.
• Jim Lamar: USAF, 100 missions in F-80 and P-51.
• Wendy Rivers: Served on a destroyer off the coast of Korea.
• Laird Gutterson: USAF, flew 60 missions, P-51.
• Verlyne Daniels: Flew AD-4 missions, March-August 1953.
• Sam Johnson: USAF, flew 62 missions, F-86, 1 kill, 1 probable, 1 damaged against Mig 15s.
• Bud Day: USAF, air defense missions, F-84s.
• Bill Lawrence: (F2H-3) and By Fuller (F9F-5) arrived off the coast of Korea in October 1953. They were flying off the USS Oriskany.
• Fred Crow: Had various commands stateside during the Korean War.
• Carl Crumpler: Flew F-86s at George AFB. War was over too soon for him to participate.

**************************************************************

Magnificent men, whether in a cockpit, in a cell, or at a desk. Provided to show that, regardless of the circumstances, some are never defeated, only temporarily delayed.

Amazing! Gentlemen, thank you for your service!  You are and were an inspiration to all of us who have served.  Your contributions will not be forgotten!

Hey! Wake-up, You Almost Missed Flag Day!

Did you know that Flag Day is June 14th?  I was so looking forward to my Father's Day ritual of walking our dogs bright and early this Sunday that I honestly forgot!  Fortunately, a co-worker reminded me of that fact.  I guess I'm not surprised though.  Listening to the radio driving to work, I didn't hear much about any special sales planned for Flag Day.  The talk centered around Father's Day!  Hmmm!  I guess Flag Day didn't make the short list at the different ad agencies this go around.  Actually, come to think of it, has it ever made the short list?  Let's face it, you only get noticed for marketing the American Flag these days if you're running for public office and pandering for votes while proudly displaying your "lapel pin!"  Oops...I did it again!  Slap me for bringing up that flag pin thing again.  Seriously, the American Flag is the most recognized symbols of freedom in the world today.  Men and women have died defending our right to fly it or burn it.  It’s hard to believe that someone would actually burn our flag!

How many of you still remember what the flag represents?  I'm asking in case you run across an illegal and he or she seems confused with our customs.  Well, there are 50 stars which represent the 50 states that make up our United States and there are 13 stripes representing the 13 original colonies.  So if you have an American Flag, please fly it!  If you don’t have one, consider buying one, or just maybe, someone will just give you a lapel pin. Or, how about this?  Tell your kids, if you have them, you'd like a flag for Father's Day!  God bless our flag and God bless the United States of America!

Supreme Court Gives Club GITMO Detainees The "High Five"!

This  morning I had a chance to read Dan Froomkin’s article from the Washington Post yesterday titled, "The Education of George W. Bush."  Dan writes about President Bush's slow and painful schooling in constitutional law at the hands of the U. S. Supreme Court, which he reminds us has ruled for the third time in four years that the President, in an attempt to keep America safe, violated a basic precept of the American legal system. I think not...We are at War!  But...please...read on!

Recently, the court ruled 5-4 that President Bush cannot deny prisoners at Guantanamo Bay the right to challenge their detentions in federal district court. He reports that some of them have been held already -- without charges -- for more than six years.  Dan, stop joining in the "high five" celebration. I don’t think any of those folks at Guantanamo have lost their heads yet...literally!  So relax!  But in the meantime, I think the Congress needs to step-up-to-the-plate and decide whether these "upstanding" detainees as many would lead us to believe are terrorists or criminals.  Here is some background information to help give perspective to the issue.
 
After the terrorist attacks of September 2001, the United States embarked on an armed conflict in Afghanistan in which it detained hundreds of persons associated with either the de facto Taliban government or Al Qaeda. Though initially detained in Afghanistan or on U.S. naval vessels in the region, several hundred persons were eventually transported by early 2002 to the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
   
On September 18, 2001, Congress passed an Authorization for Use of Military Force that empowered the president to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided at the end of its 2003-2004 term that U.S. courts have jurisdiction to hear challenges on behalf of a large number of detainees at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in connection with the war against terrorism.  The decision overturned the holding of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which had accepted the Administration’s argument that no U.S. court has jurisdiction to hear petitions for habeas corpus by or on behalf of the detainees because they are aliens and were detained outside the sovereign territory of the United States.   In response to the Court’s ruling, the Department of Defense (DOD) instituted a new form of tribunal at Guantanamo Bay to allow detainees an opportunity to contest their designation as "enemy combatants."

One of the most pivotal choices that the United States has faced since the terrorist attacks of 2001 is whether to abide by international law in its treatment of Guantánamo detainees.  How does a nation strike a realistic balance between safeguarding the lives of its citizens and upholding fundamental human rights for detainees in the current era of terrorist conflict?

Congress approved the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 (DTA, or Graham-Levin Amendment) to establish standards for interrogation and to deny detainees access to federal courts to file habeas petitions, but allow limited appeals of status determinations through military commissions in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.  In 2006 Congress passed the Military Commissions Act, which in addition to providing explicit authority for military commissions, cuts off jurisdiction to hear all habeas cases and other legal actions brought by aliens in relation to their detention as "unlawful enemy combatants."

The history of the various legislative enactments and Supreme Court rulings concerning the entitlement of the Guantánamo Bay detainees to invoke the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus discloses the existence of an ongoing power struggle with respect to the meaning and scope of the writ of habeas corpus. On one side stand the partisans of the current Executive Branch, aided by members of the Legislative Branch and the Judicial Branch, who believe that in a time of crisis the power of the Presidency must be undisturbed, unrestrained, and unlimited.

On the other side stand members of the Judicial and Legislative Branches who hold the rule of law, and the values associated with due process as a check on unilateral Executive Branch action, to be of paramount importance to the survival of American society.  Among the issues at play in this highly ideological contest is whether the text of the Constitution, and the dynamic structure of governance it has instituted, require Congress to vest habeas corpus jurisdiction in the federal courts as an essential component of the judicial power of the United States in accordance with Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution .  Therefore, Congress must legislate so that the United States can emerge with a national consensus on the appropriate treatment of detainees that will build confidence and cooperation both at home and abroad.

Terrorism is not just a problem of law enforcement; it also implicates national security, diplomacy, economic policy, immigration, the role of the military, and many other issues. Seen in this way, reasonable people can easily assert that, at best, traditional criminal processes should be merely one option along with other more violent, but perhaps also more effective responses.  In short, the events of 9/11 and the responses to those events crystallized a new criminal process for terrorism, a process that in many cases bypasses federal courts and the Department of Justice.

Epilogue: With the Supreme Court’s most recent decision, it is apparent now that we need to explore beyond what some have called a war/crime dichotomy and treat terrorism as a complex issue that requires a subtle and flexible response along a variety of policy and legal pathways. A narrow focus on either strictly a legal or policy process could prove short-sighted and ultimately ineffective in the future with respect to the "War on Terror."

Congress must act now in order to determine the appropriate treatment of detainees before our federal court system is overwhelmed, and the description of "circus acts" takes on a new meaning in our society.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

A friend just sent me this link to not just a song, but to a way of life many politicians and political pundits refuse to embrace or acknowledge in society today.  Often it takes an outsider visiting our country to remind all of us just how fortunate we are as Americans to be living in a country of boundless opportunity.  A place where we have the right to worship, vote, and lead peaceful lives without fear of reprisal or condemnation.  This rendition of the Battle Hymn of the Republic was performed for Pope Benedict XVI at the White House Rose Garden in a ceremony on April 15th of this year.  It sent shivers up my spine!   Please pass this along!

Farewell Jack Lucas, Marine and Medal of Honor Recipient

Jack Lucas, who at 14 lied his way into military service during World War II and became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, died last Thursday in a Hattiesburg, Miss., hospital. He was 80.  Jack Lucas had been battling cancer.

Chris Talbott, a writer with the Associated Press wrote that they just don’t make them like that anymore in his article covering the passing of Mr. Jack Lucas: Vet who earned Medal of Honor at 17 dies.

Jacklyn "Jack" Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation’s highest military honor. He used his body to shield three fellow squad members from two grenades, and was nearly killed when one exploded.

"A couple of grenades rolled into the trench," Lucas said in an Associated Press interview shortly before he received the medal from President Truman in October 1945. "I hollered to my pals to get out and did a Superman dive at the grenades. I wasn’t a Superman after I got hit. I let out one helluva scream when that thing went off."

He was left with more than 250 pieces of shrapnel in his body and in every major organ and endured 26 surgeries in the months after Iwo Jima. He was the youngest serviceman to win the Medal of Honor in any conflict other than the Civil War.  What a story!  Semper Fi Jack Lucas!  Thank you for your service to your country!

Epilogue: While we honor the sacrifices of those that have given their lives in service to our country, please let us not forget our most recent recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor (MOH) as a result of the War on Terror.  As I heard Colonel Oliver North recently point out, it’s sad when people remember the gossip and wild exploits of movie stars, but yet can’t remember the single name of one Medal of Honor recipient.  Therefore, I have listed the names of those five Medal of Honor recipients below who have died fighting the War on Terror.  In addition, I have provided a link honoring the "Faces of the Fallen" who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting the War on Terror. Thank you for your service!  God Bless America!

•  Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith
•  Corporal Jason L. Dunham
•  Lt. Michael P. Murphy
•  Master-at-Arms, Navy Seal, Michael A. Monsoor
•  Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis