Putz’d around again around my tiny makeshift (and nearly killed) flower pots…
…and if you have the chance, please let me hear your feedback on my little store: http://www.zazzle.com/socalblooms*
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Since today was Flag Day and the 200th anniversary of our national anthem, a flag as a backdrop.
D-Day’s 70th “Anniversary” has passed.
But I don’t know if “anniversary” is the correct term. Is it commemoration? Hard to say since so many young lives were ripped away from the world so violently. Many were never found.
Blogger Mustang had forwarded some “then and now” images last week but here is another one. If you get past the first two images (a then and now), please click on the subsequent images singularly to see the “now” photo. Look at all the young faces…and realize that many must have been killed in the next months…or days.
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2014/06/scenes-from-d-day-then-and-now/100752/
It is humbling to see the devastation of 70 years ago but in today’s life…but only “they” know.
It is hard to believe thirty years have passed since President Reagan commemorated the 40th Anniversary of D-Day – in person.
I feel his love and support for our military – and Nancy – is without question.
But few people recall that President Reagan gave not one, but TWO stirring and emotional speeches that day at Normandy.
The first and most replayed speech was the one at Pointe du Hoc, flanked by surviving soldiers of the United States Army Ranger Assault Group.
Below is an average shell crater at Pointe du Hoc; that is my daughter standing in it back in 1999:
Shortly afterwards, President Reagan gave a second speech… in front of The Wall of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Private Zanatta was in the first wave hitting Omaha Beach; his daughter Liz wrote to President Reagan about what her father told her about that day. During this speech and while reading passages from the letter, even the unflappable President Reagan becomes overwhelmed with emotion. While the beginning of the video contains important recordings from that day in 1944, his emotion-laden speech begins at the 0:30 mark:
I feel this is one of his most moving speeches. At the end, he says, “…a D-Day veteran has shown us the meaning of this day far better than any President can.”
I pray in my own way for those young souls who were killed – on both sides – as well as their families.
We will not see a mass of humanity assembled for such purposes ever again…and the remaining representatives of that humanity are leaving us each day.
Its from scratch. Crust too, as you can see. It looks like the world’s biggest churro’s surrounding the pie.
It was a lot of work outside of the crust. Pumpkin puree, candied yams, syrup, heavy cream milk, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, salt and…grated ginger.
But my little Cake Boss said it “tasted better than the supermarket’s pumpkin pie”.
Does that mean I can keep my job?
A journey to the Riverside National Cemetery for this Memorial Day weekend was deemed in order.
Just my way of saying “Thank you” to three men… and Marge Johnson as well.
I was told that the Boy Scouts planted over 200,000 flags for this weekend. Well, there’s a few more flags now… albeit just small tokens of appreciation from me, they are recognition of what America deeply owes them.
If you never served (like me), you should be grateful that these men did… instead of you.
In a documentary, a paralyzed Marine who made it back from Iwo Jima said one indescribable smell resonates in him to that day: the sweet, distinct smell of fresh blood squirting out from a wound to the jugular vein. He said if you smelled that, it signaled a dying Marine.
The Riverside National Cemetery is the third-largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administration. It is also home of the Medal of Honor Memorial and only one of four sites recognized as a National Medal of Honor Memorial Site. The Medal of Honor Memorial’s walls feature the names of all medal recipients.
(Note: By clicking on the images, you should be able to download full rez image files.)
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The uncle of one of our most patriotic bloggers, “pacificparatrooper“, is interred here.
Master Sergeant James O’Leary, USMC.
He rests in this peaceful grassy knoll next to our other patriots…
To learn about MSgt. O’Leary’s military service, please click on this link to read one of gpcox’s stories about her uncle: MSgt James O’Leary. You will also learn how gpcox’s family has been serving our country for many decades, including her father “Smitty” who endured combat with the famed 11th Airborne during WWII.
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Of course, a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson was in order.
Mr. Johnson was a decorated Marine fighting on board CV-6, the USS Enterprise, during the Battle of Midway and the most brutal Solomon Islands campaign in WWII.
Marge recently passed away; I was unable to fulfill my promise to take her again to visit with her husband… but then again, they are together for eternity now. I felt Marge would like some flowers and took an Old Glory for Mr. Johnson. He loved the Corps. You can read about Mr. Johnson, USMC here: Mr. Johnson, USMC.
Interestingly, I learned something about Mr. Johnson’s service in the US Marine Corps. His enlistment was longer than what I was led to believe. He was but 16 when he “got suckered” into enlisting. I’ll need to write about that later, I guess.
May they both happily rest in peace together.
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I have come to know Grace and her husband Bernie though a close knit national Mustang club. No, not the horse. The car.
Her first husband was US Army Staff Sergeant Robert Hartsock. His name is etched into the Medal of Honor Memorial wall. He was killed in action at just 24 years of age in Viet Nam. He was but two months away from ending his tour of duty and left a son, Dion.
Staff Sergeant Hartsock’s official Medal of Honor citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Hartsock, distinguished himself in action while serving as section leader with the 44th Infantry Platoon. When the Dau Tieng Base Camp came under a heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander spotted an enemy sapper squad which had infiltrated the camp undetected. Realizing the enemy squad was heading for the brigade tactical operations center and nearby prisoner compound, they concealed themselves and, although heavily outnumbered, awaited the approach of the hostile soldiers. When the enemy was almost upon them, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander opened fire on the squad. As a wounded enemy soldier fell, he managed to detonate a satchel charge he was carrying. S/Sgt. Hartsock, with complete disregard for his life, threw himself on the charge and was gravely wounded. In spite of his wounds, S/Sgt. Hartsock crawled about 5 meters to a ditch and provided heavy suppressive fire, completely pinning down the enemy and allowing his commander to seek shelter. S/Sgt. Hartsock continued his deadly stream of fire until he succumbed to his wounds. S/Sgt. Hartsock’s extraordinary heroism and profound concern for the lives of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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May they all rest in peace.
President Obama, man up for a change.
You took credit for the killing of Bin Laden.
Do the same here.
It is shameful.
Veterans died.
While I do not care for the term “revisionist”, I do care about truth.
And it has always been my “feeling” that the Warren Commission Report’s conclusion on the assassination of JFK – that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman – is “flawed”.
I don’t even feel Oswald killed him.
No, I was not present during the Commission’s hearings nor was I even in Texas when JFK was murdered… but is it PRACTICABLE that Oswald, using a cheaply made Russian Italian rifle, could accurately squeeze off three rounds – and hit the President twice? Remember, he didn’t have a “dry run” before the motorcade drove by.
But this new documentary, “JFK: the Smoking Gun” was absolutely fascinating.
I watched it today on Netflix… for FREE.
Even if you were born after JFK’s assassination, watching this will give you some insight on how the Federal Government operates – to the detriment of the people it is to meant to serve. It’s politicians trying to police politicians… Or the Secret Service trying to protect itself.
Netflix link: JFK: The Smoking Gun
A trailer:
If you have military background, the ballistics analysis alone is overpowering. Definitely worth watching for that alone.
…but I believe there was a second gunman.
Whoopee. 🙂
What about you?
If your eyes don’t spring a leak, there is something amiss… like with our current administration.
It really says something when your own country can’t afford a flyover for a rare duo burial.
EDIT: MAY 2, 2014 – HERE’S THE PHOTO CHALLENGE HOST BLOG! JENNIFER NICOLE WELLS
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At my age, confusion reigns supreme. I cannot figure out who is conducting the “One Word Photo Challenge” series.
Oh, well. But it said to tag it “One Word Photo Challenge” so I did…
And here’s my turquoise photo; it’s of the Pontiac hood ornament on a turquoise car.
Who loves classic cars?!
Now what and where do I link this to? Old age sucks.
Masako and Spam Musubi 