Military

“A Day That Will Live in Infamy” (Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor, Hawaii)
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On an otherwise calm Sunday morning on December 7, 1941, the Japanese shocked the world by bombing the American naval bYase at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

This ‘dastardly attack’ was the turning point for America and for the War.

On December 8, the nation was gathered around its radios to hear President Roosevelt deliver his “Day of Infamy” speech. That same day, Congress declared war on Japan. On December 11, Congress declared war on Germany.

The slogan ‘Remember Pearl Harbor’ mobilized a nation and helped awaken the mighty war machine and economic engine that was America.

**Eighty three years ago~ just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, a Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and almost 200 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded.

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The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan; Congress approved his declaration with just one dissenting vote. Three days later, Japanese allies Germany and Italy also declared war on the United States, and again Congress reciprocated. More than two years into the conflict, America had finally joined World War II.

With diplomatic negotiations with Japan breaking down, President Franklin D.

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Roosevelt and his advisers knew that an eminent Japanese attack was probable, but nothing had been done to increase security at the important naval base at Pearl Harbor. It was Sunday morning, and many military personnel had been given passes to attend religious services off base. At 7:02 a.m., two radar operators spotted large groups of aircraft in flight toward the island from the north, but, with a flight of B-17s expected from the United States at the time, they were told to sound no alarm. Thus, the Japanese air assault came as a devastating surprise to the naval base.

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Much of the Pacific fleet was rendered useless: Five of eight battleships, three destroyers, and seven other ships were sunk or severely damaged, and more than 200 aircraft were destroyed. A total of 2,400 Americans were killed and 1,200 were wounded, many while valiantly attempting to repulse the attack. Japan’s losses were some 30 planes, five midget submarines, and fewer than 100 men. Fortunately for the United States, all three Pacific fleet carriers were out at sea on training maneuvers. These giant aircraft carriers would have their revenge against Japan six months later at the Battle of Midway, reversing the tide against the previously invincible Japanese navy in a spectacular victory.

The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, President Roosevelt appeared before a

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joint session of Congress and declared, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941–a date which will live in infamy–the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” After a brief and forceful speech, he asked Congress to approve a resolution recognizing the state of war between the United States and Japan. The Senate voted for war against Japan by 82 to 0, and the House of Representatives approved the resolution by a vote of 388 to 1. The sole dissenter was Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana, a devout pacifist who had also cast a dissenting vote against the U.S. entrance into World War I. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war against the United States, and the U.S. government responded in kind.

The American contribution to the successful Allied war effort spanned four long years and cost more than 400,000 American lives.

Eighty-three Years ago, our parents & perhaps our grandparents learned of the atrocity perpetrated by the Japanese that was Pearl Harbor. Today our country is faced with a similar invasion with the incursion of our country by Illegal Aliens, Drug Smugglers, Criminals and significantly: Jihadi Terrorists. Some are even referred to as “home-grown” yet they are nonetheless invaders of our homeland, America! ALL Terrorists whether foreign-born or natural-born Americans are evil in my opinion and a threat to American Lives & Liberty. Call it whatever you like but today, the growing threat to America is Islamic Terrorism most believed to be instigated by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant also referred to as ISIS. So, my brother & sister Americans & Patriots~ during this holiday season, remember to say your prayers, kiss your loved ones, be vigilant & arm yourselves because America is once again under attack by Radical Ideology, Illegal Aliens & Islamic Jihadists! (Beware: The Barbarians are at the Gates.) Meanwhile, I wish you all a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! ~ JGT (updated) 12/6/2018

(Pictured L to R) My Father, Donald W. Flint, WWII Army Air Corps (Circa 1942) & My Father-in-Law, John Howard, US Army Ranger (Circa 1943)

Thank you, Daddy & Pop~ for your devotion & service to our country. You set great examples for your children, all US Navy & Marine Corps Veterans. We miss and love you both! ~ dfh

DONALD W. FLINT USAF WWII 001

Howard,_John_(website)

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS (161st Anniversary 2024)

November 19, 2024 marks the 161st anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Ever since Lincoln wrote it in 1863, this version has been the most often reproduced, notably on the walls of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. It is named after Colonel Alexander Bliss, stepson of historian George Bancroft. Bancroft asked President Lincoln for a copy to use as a fundraiser for soldiers (see “Bancroft Copy” below). However, because Lincoln wrote on both sides of the paper, the speech could not be reprinted, so Lincoln made another copy at Bliss’s request. It is the last known copy written by Lincoln and the only one signed and dated by him. Today, it is on display in the Lincoln Room of the White House in Washington D.C..

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

~Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863

Photo of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Feather Quill

Gettysburg, PA November 19, 1863

MILITARY TRADITION UNDER ATTACK ~ AGAIN!

Obama Bans Military From Making Church Donations ~ Are you kidding me? President Obama has banned members of the US Military from making donations to churches.  Obama is trying to “suppress” religious freedom so that his “radical social policy” may be advanced.  Military people have been told,  “If you are supporting an evangelical Christian organization, then you are committing a crime and are subject to Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).” ~ Thanks Obama!

Religion in the Military ~ In a stunning attack on the speech rights and free religious exercise of U.S. soldiers, the Obama administration released a statement confirming the unthinkable: “Any soldier who professes Christianity can now be court-martialed and may face imprisonment and a dishonorable discharge from the military … even if they are a military chaplain”. ~ Thanks Obama!

The VA Strikes Again! ~ The Veteran’s Administration has Banned the Word, GOD from Services at Military Cemetaries.  The words, “God” and “Jesus” are forbidden and that “God Bless” should no longer be written in condolence cards to families. Volunteers are also banned from speaking a religious message when talking directly to veterans’ families on cemetery grounds. To add insult to injury ~ last December, the Obama administration’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) prohibited veterans under treatment in VA Medical Centers from hearing Christmas carols by banning Christmas carolers from singing Christmas songs with religious references in public areas. BO even had the nerve to ban those veterans from receiving any  gifts wrapped in Christmas-themed wrapping paper. (What a creep!) Thanks Obama!!!

 

Obama’s Military: No Navy Jack, No Traditions, No God (As a Navy Veteran, this one really pisses me off! ~ dfh) ~ The Navy Jack – the ‘don’t tread on me’ flag – has been banned from use on Navy SEALS uniforms. The patch on Navy uniforms has been ordered removed.  The Navy Jack was the first flag of the Continental Navy during the war of independence and it has been in use through the centuries, including the current war on terror. This is a symbol of our heritage and it is being erased with one memo by someone in our administration. It’s probably not Mr. Obama because he doesn’t know anything.

An amendment to the Navy code called SECNAV Instruction 10520.6 clearly states that as of 31 May 2002 all ships are to fly the flag throughout the duration of the War on Terror. No longer. The Navy brass has ordered the symbol removed from all SEALs’ uniforms. Why would they do something like this? The obvious reason is because it is very similar to the revolutionary flag that has become the symbol of the Tea Party. ~ Thanks Obama!

TATTOOS (Portions excerpted from the NY Times article dated  April 30, 2014)

The military tattoo has a deep history, with reports going back at least to the Roman legions, historians say. Images of adventure or battle — if not a haunting beauty from the frontiers of Gaul — could be captured forever on a bicep. Declarations of unit loyalty or individuality, or both, could be sealed through rituals of ink and pain. But now a tightening of the Army’s regulations on the wear and appearance of uniforms and insignia — issued on March 31 with a 30-day window of unit-by-unit enforcement — had driven a land rush to tattoo shops around the country to get “tatted,” as soldiers call it, while the old rules still applied.

The new rules restrict total inkage on arms and legs visible on a soldier wearing short sleeves and short pants. They also limit the size of each visible tattoo to no bigger than the wearer’s open hand. But the Army is also generally allowing soldiers to keep the tattoos they had before the effective date of the new rules, as long as they do not violate prohibitions on things like obscenity, racism or extremism, and are documented with a photograph before the deadline.

Hence the rush to get inked. With some superior officers, many of them tattooed as well, giving ample warning as to when those photographs would be taken, soldiers said they have experienced a unique window of opportunity — but also, perhaps, a nudge — to get that next tattoo, or a lot of them.

Military regulation of tattoos, or at least the attempt, is not new. Shortly before World War I, military authorities tried to reign in wayward ink with a prohibition on “indecent or obscene” tattoos — mostly naked women in those days — but allowed existing depictions to be altered to meet the new rule, which led to many a discreet grass skirt as cover-up.

The Navy updated its tattoo policies again in 2003, and again in 2006, and with a further update in 2010 — nodding to the modern military of men and women serving together — that tweaks the rules on so-called permanent makeup tattoos, allowed for eyebrows, eyeliner, lipstick and lip liner. “Permanent makeup shall be in good taste,” the Navy’s regulations say.

The Marines tightened their personal grooming and appearance regulations in 2010, the Air Force in 2012. All four main military branches prohibit tattoos around the neck. No person with what is called a sleeve — or fully tattooed arm — can become a Marine.

AMERICANS UNITED

Obama is the shepherd I did not want, He leadeth me beside the still factories, He restoreth my faith in the Republican party, He guideth me in the path of unemployment for his party’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the bread line, I shall fear no hunger, for his bailouts are with me. He has anointed my income with taxes, My expenses runneth over. Surely, poverty and hard living will follow me all the days of my life, And I will live in a mortgaged home forever.

“Old Glory” & the History of “Flag Day” in America

Did you know that the week of June 12–18, 2024 is designated as National Flag Week. “Old Glory” or rather, the American “Stars and Stripes” which originated as a result of a resolution adopted by the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress at Philadelphia on June 14, 1777. The resolution read: “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.”

The resolution gave no instruction as to how many points the stars should have, or how the stars should be arranged on the blue union. Consequently, some flags had stars scattered on the blue field without any specific design, some arranged the stars in rows, and some in a circle. The first Navy Stars and Stripes had the stars arranged in staggered formation in alternate rows of threes and twos on a blue field. Other Stars and Stripes flags had stars arranged in alternate rows of four, five and four. Some stars had six points while others had eight.

Strong evidence indicates that Francis Hopkinson of New Jersey, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was responsible for the stars in the U.S. flag. At the time that the flag resolution was adopted, Hopkinson was the Chairman of the Continental Navy Board’s Middle Department. Hopkinson also helped design other devices for the Government including the Great Seal of the United States. For his services, Hopkinson submitted a letter to the Continental Admiralty Board asking “whether a Quarter Cask of the public Wine will not be a proper & reasonable Reward for these Labours of Fancy and a suitable Encouragement to future Exertions of a like Nature.” His request was subsequently turned down since the Congress regarded him as a public servant.

According to legend, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the new nation. Scholars debate this legend, but agree that Mrs. Ross most likely knew Washington and sewed flags. To date, there have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag, but the arrangement of the stars varied according to the flag-makers’ preferences until 1912 when President Taft standardized the then-new flag’s forty-eight stars into six rows of eight. The forty-nine-star flag (1959-60), as well as the fifty-star flag, also have standardized star patterns. The current version of the flag dates to July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state on August 21, 1959.

The first celebration of the U.S. Flag’s birthday was held in 1877 on the 100th anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777. However, it is believed that the first annual recognition of the flag’s birthday dates back to 1885 when school teacher, BJ Cigrand, first organized a group of Wisconsin school children to observe June 14 – the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes as the Flag’s Birthday. Cigrand, now known as the ‘Father of Flag Day,’ continued to publically advocate the observance of June 14 as the flag’s ‘birthday’, or ‘Flag Day’ for years.

In 1916, the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 became a nationally observed event by a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson thus establishing a national Flag Day on June 14 each year. Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by celebrating June 14 as Flag Day. Prior to 1916, many localities and a few states had been celebrating the day for years. Congressional legislation had already designated that date as the national Flag Day and it was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949; the legislation also called upon the president to issue a Flag Day proclamation every year. However, it was not designated as National Flag Day until August 3rd, 1949, when an Act of Congress designated June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

Though Flag Day is neither a federal holiday nor one can declare it as an official leave the state of Pennsylvannia was the first and foremost state in the U.S. who declared & celebrated Flag Day as a state holiday on June 14th 1937.

Today, Flag Day is celebrated throughout the country with parades, essay contests, ceremonies, and picnics sponsored by veterans’ groups, schools, and groups like the National Flag Day foundation whose goal is to preserve the traditions, history, pride, and respect that are due the nation’s symbol, Old Glory.

Pledge

D-DAY JUNE 6th, 1944 (OPERATION OVERLORD and NEPTUNE)

This year, June 6, 2024~ marks the 80th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. WWII’s D-Day.

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Immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the Allies created the “Combined Chiefs of Staff” (CCS) comprising of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff and the British Chiefs of Staff. Their function was to assist and advise U.S. President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill on the direction and conduct of the war. The CCS confirmed a previous policy of “Germany First” and, from March 1942, their planning group began work on an outline plan for a full-scale invasion of Europe. They initially hoped to invade Europe in 1943 but the realities of insufficient materials and manpower, and the demands of other operations agreed upon, delayed this effort until 1944 – this despite persistent agitation from Russian Dictator, Stalin to open a second front to relieve pressure in the East.

When America joined the war on the side of Britain in 1941, the two made plans to retake France from the Germans. The situation looked bleak. Britain was running out of food, Western Europe was under the Nazi heel, and the Soviet Union was near collapse. The Russians were begging for an immediate second front to stop the Germans. It was clear that an U.S. invasion of Germany itself was necessary to overthrow Hitler.

Operation Overlord, also known as the Normandy Invasion or simply D-Day, was the code name for the Allied invasion of northern Europe in World War II. It began with the landings on the beaches of Normandy in northwestern France on June 6, 1944, and accomplished the largest amphibious invasion in the history of mankind, using 200,000 men, 9,000 planes, and over 5,000 ships.

Operation Neptune was the name given to the Naval Armada of allied ships & the allied Air Corps involved. On the

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whole, the naval fleet was composed of five forces, one for each beach. (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno & Sword) Utah & Omaha beaches were invaded by American Forces. The other three by British, Canadian & a free French Battalion. Eight to sixteen distinct convoys composed the five principal convoys. These forces represented more than 5300 ships of all types plus the 4000 relay boats between the shore and the ships. During the landing, 3460 heavy bombers and 1650 light bombers dropped hundreds of tons of bombs on the Normandy coast, targeting the batteries and the fortifications of the German’s Atlantic Wall. The 82nd and 101st American airborne divisions had been parachuted in hours preceding the amphibian offensive, in the western sector of the allied invasion, West and South-west of Utah Beach, located in the Cotentin peninsula. Once on the ground, the Americans of the 82nd and 101st got under way immediately towards their objectives. Despite an extremely high number of losses (50% in the only night of June 6, 1944), the American parachutists of the 82nd and 101st Airborne achieved a great number of their missions.

Years in the planning~ the Battle of Normandy was fought during World War II in the summer of 1944, between the Allied nations and German forces occupying Western Europe. Seventy years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains

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the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving nearly three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in occupied France. Twelve Allied nations provided fighting units that participated in the invasion, including Australia, Canada, Belgium, France, Czechoslovakia, Greece, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The American, British, and Canadian troops were under the command of U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and crossed the English Channel on June 6, 1944, landing on six beaches along sixty miles of the Normandy coast. Their intention was to drive German forces east and out of France while Russian forces in Eastern Europe slowly pushed west. The heaviest fighting occurred at Omaha Beach, where perhaps as many as 3,000 American men were killed or wounded. By contrast, fewer than 200 casualties (out of 23,000 soldiers engaged) were suffered at Utah, the next beach over.

Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase, or the establishment of a secure foothold, was known as Operation Neptune. Operation Neptune began on D-Day (June 6, 1944) and ended on June 30, when the Allies had finally established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on August 19, 1944.

The battle began months before the invasion, when Allied bombers began to pound the Normandy coast and farther south, to destroy transportation links, and disrupt the German army’s build-up of their military strength. More than 300 planes dropped 13,000 bombs over Normandy in advance of the invasion. Six parachute regiments, with more than 13,000 men, also went ahead to cut railroad lines, blow up bridges, and seize landing fields. Gliders also brought in men, light artillery, jeeps, and small tanks. ~ D. F. Howard© June 1, 2014

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Portion of the American Cemetery in Normandy, France.

Death Tolls: Germany had 320,000 deaths, followed by the United States with 135,000, then the United Kingdom, Canada, and France where the last three all with less than 65,000.

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The OVERLORD ARCH located at the National D-DAY Memorial in Bedford, Virginia USA.

Courtesy of Wikipedia. The National D-Day Memorial is a war memorial located in Bedford, Virginia. It serves as the national memorial for American D-Day veterans. However, its scope is international in that it states, “In Tribute to the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of Allied Forces on D-Day, June 6, 1944” and commends all Allied Armed Forces during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944 during World War II.[1] The memorial, bordering the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, is an area comprising 88 acres (360,000 m2) that overlooks the town of Bedford. It officially opened on June 6, 2001 with 15,000 people present, one of whom was then-President George W. Bush.[2] About 70,000 people have visited the memorial each year. Of those, more than half are from outside of Virginia. Bedford was selected for the National D-Day memorial because the town suffered the greatest per capita loss of life during the invasion of any town in the country.[3]

**Note”” As a U.S. Navy Veteran & wife of a Retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer, as well as the daughter & daughter-in-law of two wonderful WWII Veteran fathers ~ this Jersey Girl couldn’t help but include a link to the Naval History & Heritage page on the D-Day Landings on June 6, 1944. ~ JGT

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Honor Courage Commitment!

Thank you to My Daddy & Pop Howard for your honorable sacrifice(s) during this horrific (WWII) War. Your children (Veterans) also knowingly respect the personal sacrifices you made for our wonderful country & to all of the Citizens of ~ The GREAT United States of America!

Donald W. Flint US Army Air Force 1942 – 1945

John Howard, US Army, 1942 -1943

SUPPORT OUR PRESIDENT

The following was written by a dear friend of mine, whom I have known since my U.S. Navy days ~ way back when our country really was GREAT & then President Ronald Reagan led the American People with strength and our Military respectfully as Commander in Chief.  Then President Reagan, vowed to destroy the “Evil Empire” (referring of course, to the Iron Curtain countries) and low & behold~ the Berlin Wall came down & the Soviet Union was abolished by 1989. Indeed, with regard to his “Peace through Strength” doctrine, President Reagan responded to the Iranian attack on the USS Samuel B. Roberts, sailing in open waters of the Persian Gulf on 14 April 1988 with his approval of “Operation Praying Mantis“.

Mr. Reagan said, “They must know that we will protect our ships, and if they threaten us, they will pay a price.”

Operation Praying Mantis remains the largest surface battle engaged in by the U.S. Navy since World War II, and its outcome was decisive. According to official reports released afterward, using a combination of anti-ship missiles, naval gunfire, and aircraft launched from several ships, including the aircraft carrier the USS Enterprise, the Navy destroyed 2 oil platforms used by Iran for intelligence collection, sank 4 small Iranian Navy boats, sank an Iranian frigate, and severely damaged another Iranian warship.

But that was all on April 18, 1988. Back when the United States believed in delivering swift, decisive responses to enemy provocations. ~ JGT

FACEBOOK POST: February 16, 2017 by John M. Grashof, SMC, USN-Retired

What a bunch of crap. We get a guy in the white house who wants to do the right thing………and he gets attacked from all sides. Be it popular vote, electoral vote………..Trump won. He wants what the voters wanted. A wall. Keep possible terrorists out of the country. A better health plan that benefits EVERYONE. Better care for Veterans. Better jobs. Better pay. A fair trade deal with our trading partners, a stronger military……..The side show is the media, congress and the senate. The idiots in congress and senate say “We were here before he got here, and will be here after he leaves”………I get it. Checks and balances. But my gawd………….if its a good deal, makes sense, helps our economy, helps job growth, and is nothing but positive………..then for crying out loud…………..either reconsider your vote for scumbags like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and all the other dopes that do nothing but hinder progress………..and make your voice heard loud and strong. TRUMP COULD CARE LESS ABOUT ANY RICHES HE GETS FROM HIS ELECTION. HE RAN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE COULD DO SOME GOOD……………Both parties are up in arms over Trumps decisions to date. Keep in mind. Not every senator, not every congressman are playing with a full deck. Trump admonished both senate and congress as being “DO NOTHINGS”……..He is right !!!!!!! They don’t do squat !!!! To them, its a lifelong career…….Its a good ole boy organization…….

I implore all those, that take sides in this political forum, go back some years and understand what this country is about………..and understand what has taken place to undermine our political system. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. God in our schools is right.. God out of our schools is wrong…….5 signs to say where one can pee is wrong, 2 signs to say where one can pee is right.

The sanctitity of the police in our society and what they stand for is good……..the notion that they are our enemies is bad.

The USA religion: Its Christianity. Our language is English. Abide, or feel free to find a better place to speak your language or practice your religion……..Why do the majority of this country have to cowtow to the minority ? …………What happened that the majority have to feel oppressed over their beliefs, and this “feel good society” has taken the front seat ? Seriously, whose toes are we stepping on ?………..Go to Iran, go to the majority of the middle east countries and practice your religion, your rights your beliefs as you do here in the USA and see what happens.

Back to Trump. He doesn’t need this headache. Guaranteed. He doesn’t. He has ALL he needs. He’s merely trying to do the right thing. Make America Great Again. Notice, there is no “Apology Tour” ?………He actually feels America is a great country. He said he would do what the voters wanted him to do…….but he has to deal with the “SWAMP”……..He is right !!! Washington is the Swamp !…….

He irks the GOP as well as the Dems. Its a power struggle.

This nation is divided. For sure. Over ideology. Over lots of stuff.

I know that a president cannot simply rule based on executive orders. Its not what our nation was built on. We need congress and the senate to play fair with the president. I’m not seeing this. What I’m seeing is many playing a power play……which may or may not be to the betterment of our country…..

In closing, please pray in earnest for this president. Please pray in earnest for this country. We are a diverse nation, many backgrounds, many various beliefs, etc……but, I believe this country has a guy in office right now who wants nothing but the best for this country……..Give Him the Support that he needs. He is less than 30 days in office and has been thru the ringer. Cut him some slack……..Pray for him that he sees his way thru the mud and slime and can make good on his promises.

 

Thanks, John;  for allowing me to post your patriotic opinion on my website. Affectionately, Dorian~

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

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1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? They take 21 steps. This alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why? It takes 21 seconds for the same reason as the answer above.

3. Why are his gloves kept wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5′ 10′ and 6′ 2′ tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.’

Other Requirements of the Guard are:

  1. They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way.
  2. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
  3. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
  4. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.
  5. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch Television.
  6. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
  7. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred.

Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment.

They respectfully declined the offer, ‘No way, Sir!’ Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and Keep Them

Without sounding too self-serving, I’d like to add that all Americans should be very proud of our young men and women in the service of the United States of America no matter where they serve. ~JGT

tomb_of_the_unknown_soldier_-_nw_view_detail_-_arlington_national_cemetery_-_2012Duty – Honor – Country
IN GOD WE TRUST

A History of the New Year

A Move from March to January by Borgna Brunner

The celebration of the new year on January 1st is a relatively new phenomenon. The earliest recording of a new year celebration is believed to have been in Mesopotamia, c. 2000 B.C. and was celebrated around the time of the NewYearsEvevernal equinox in mid-March. A variety of other dates tied to the seasons were also used by various ancient cultures. The Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Persians began their new year with the fall equinox, and the Greeks celebrated it on the winter solstice.

Early Roman Calendar: March 1st Rings in the New Year

The early Roman calendar designated March 1 as the new year. The calendar had just ten months, beginning with March. That the new year once began with the month of March is still reflected in some of the names of the months. September through December, our ninth through twelfth months, were originally positioned as the seventh through tenth months (septem is Latin for “seven,” octo is “eight,” novem is “nine,” and decem is “ten.”

January Joins the Calendar

The first time the new year was celebrated on January 1st was in Rome in 153 B.C. (In fact, the month of January did not even exist until around 700 B.C., when the second king of Rome, Numa Pontilius, added the months of January and February.) The new year was moved from March to January because that was the beginning of the civil year, the month that the two newly elected Roman consuls—the highest officials in the Roman republic—began their one-year tenure. But this new year date was not always strictly and widely observed, and the new year was still sometimes celebrated on March 1.

Julian Calendar: January 1st Officially Instituted as the New Year

In 46 B.C. Julius Caesar introduced a new, solar-based calendar that was a vast improvement on the ancient Roman calendar, which was a lunar system that had become wildly inaccurate over the years. The Julian calendar decreed that the new year would occur with January 1, and within the Roman world, January 1 became the consistently observed start of the new year.

Middle Ages: January 1st Abolished

In medieval Europe, however, the celebrations accompanying the new year were considered pagan and unchristian like, and in 567 the Council of Tours abolished January 1 as the beginning of the year. At various times and in various places throughout medieval Christian Europe, the new year was celebrated on Dec. 25, the birth of Jesus; March 1; March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation; and Easter.

Gregorian Calendar: January 1st Restored

In 1582, the Gregorian calendar reform restored January 1 as new year’s day. Although most Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar almost immediately, it was only gradually adopted among Protestant countries. The British, for example, did not adopt the reformed calendar until 1752. Until then, the British Empire —and their American colonies— still celebrated the new year in March.

Article written by: Borgna Brunner & Reprinted Courtesy of  http://www.infoplease.com/spot/newyearhistory.html

I’d like to wish a very Happy New Year to ALL of my brother & sister Military Veterans & those brave Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Coast & National Guard personnel currently serving on Active Duty around the world!  God Bless You ALL & Thank You for Your Service to our Country! ~JGT

Christmas 1776 – The Battle of Trenton

George-Washington--300x219

Christmas of 1776 marked the first major victory for the Continental Army.  Several months earlier, General Washington’s troops lost New York City to the British and eventually retreated south.  The British army chased the Americans through New Jersey and Delaware en route to Philadelphia, the Continental capital.  The situation was made even more dire by the prospect of a vastly reduced number of Continental troops after December 31, when enlistments were due to expire.

In early December the Continental Army crossed the Delaware and destroyed or captured all watercraft for a 75-mile stretch along the river to deter the British from crossing.  The British leaders evidently thought the Continental Army was no threat, and General Howe decided to move his men into winter quarters in Trenton, Pennington and Bordentown, New Jersey, with a base of operations in Brunswick.

Washington decided to make a bold move and attack Trenton, where Hessian troops were wintering.  On December 25, the Americans formed into three divisions and were to cross the river at three separate locations once night fell.  Washington personally led one division.  The weather was poor.  Ice chunks were floating in the river, and the falling snow soon turned to sleet and hail driven by a bitterly cold wind.  Once the troops – many lacking warm winter clothing and shoes – crossed the river, they marched nine miles to the town of Trenton.  The Hessian soldiers were celebrating Christmas in a traditional German style, never expecting an attack on the morning of December 26.

The Continental Army’s overwhelming victory at Trenton had several important consequences.  The Americans managed to capture more than 900 men and their weapons and accouterments, and lost only two soldiers.  British General Howe was so stunned by the outcome of Trenton that he sent for General Cornwallis, who was about to board a ship for England, to return to New Jersey to command the army.  For the American cause, Trenton was a great morale booster, and General Washington became an overnight hero! 

Article courtesy of http://www.historyisfun.org/blog/christmas-1776/

US NAVY SAILOR’S “T’was The Night Before Christmas”
USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53)

USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53)

T’was the night before Christmas, the ship was out steaming,
Sailors stood watch while others were dreaming.
They lived in a crowd with racks tight and small,
In a 40-man berthing, cramped one and all.

I had come down the stack with presents to give,
And to see inside just who might perhaps live.
I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,
On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.
They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
And a sober thought came into my mind.

For this place was different, so dark and so dreary,
I had found the house of a Sailor, once I saw clearly.
A Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,
Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.

The face was so gentle, the room squared away,
This was the United States Sailor today.
This was the hero we saw on TV,
Defending our country so we could be free.

I realized the families that I would visit this night,
Owed their lives to these Sailors lay willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year,
Because of the Sailor, like the one lying here.
I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve on a sea, far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The Sailor awakened and I heard a calm voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice.”

“Defending the seas all days of the year,
So others may live and be free with no fear.”
I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,
To live a life guided by honor and code.

After all it’s Christmas Eve and the ship’s underway!
But freedom isn’t free and it’s sailors who pay.
The Sailor say’s to our country “be free and sleep tight,
No harm will come, not on my watch and not on this night.”

The Sailor rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent, so still,
I watched as the Sailor shivered from the night’s cold chill.

I didn’t want to leave on that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.
The Sailor rolled over and with a voice strong and sure,
Commanded, “Carry on Santa, It’s Christmas, and All is Secure!”

Merry Christmas to all my brothers & sisters currently serving on active duty, in the reserves, retired or veterans (like me). Fair Winds & Following Seas!  Never Forget; WE OWN THE SEAS!~ JGT

DoriNavy1stClass (4)

USN 1979 – 1990

0817-02TheSeaIsOurs