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Greetings! You are reading an article from The Mudville Gazette. To reach the front page, with all the latest news and views, click the logo above or "main" below. Thanks for stopping by! May 30, 2004 NoteBy GreyhawkGreetings. Hope you and yours are enjoying a fine Memorial Day weekend. New posts on this site are forthcoming, in the meantme I hope you don't mind the "reprints" of the entries reflecting on the sacrifice of those this weekend is meant to honor. There is no better honor we can bestow upon them than the celebration of freedom with good friends and family. I truly hope that today and always you are enjoying all the fine things they made possible. Posted by Greyhawk / May 30, 2004 4:46 PM | Permalink 5 Comments |
March 19, 2010Dawn Patrol 03/19/2003 [Greyhawk]
"Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and various sources around the world." Mudville was founded in March, 2003. Our efforts to bring the thoughts, words, and deeds of milbloggers to a wider world evolved to become The Dawn Patrol in March, 2005. With today's entry we're going to reset the clock - but not re-write the history - and recreate the world as it was - on a day the world changed...
Updating... more to follow.... MILBOGSAndrew Olmsted, 19 Mar 2003, Stateside: It would appear that the liberation of Iraq has begun. Greyhawk, 18 Mar 2003, Germany: A united world could have, just maybe, brought down Saddam without firing a shot. We will never know. 19 Mar: We'll never know what a united world could have achieved... the UN could not agree on anything, the situation degenerated, and here we are. Status quo was not working. The French were too desperate for oil and trade at any cost. Well-intentioned Americans were led into the streets by Communists (and others) with an agenda. The media distorted the split. Many in America and abroad thought they could manipulate the situation to their personal gain. They miscalculated. The fire is lit. Pontifx ex Machina, 18 Mar, undisclosed location: Rolling out the gate, the guard gets a quick "hook-em, horns" sign as we weave through the barricades. Then we're off, cruising through the desert in a battered-up SUV. On the eve of war, only one thing passes through our minds: is there going to be any appropriate music on the radio? Lt Smash, 19 Mar, undisclosed location: Read the President's speech today. The clock is ticking. Chief Wiggles, 22 Mar, Kuwait: The war started Wednesday morning for us right after the president gave a speech to the American people that lasted about 4 minutes. We were all very anxious for this whole thing to be either over or get it on its way. Will, 22 Mar, en route: I am going to Baghdad to personally shoot that paper hanging son of a bitch! Lt Smash 20 Mar, undisclosed location: Sgt Stryker, 20 Mar, Stateside: Iraq to File U.N. Complaint About Attack Primary Main Objective, 30 Mar, undisclosed location I Dare Kofi to Come Get Me.
BruceR, Flit, 19 Mar, Canada: AND SO IT BEGINS. Godspeed, Yanks. Come home safe and soon. Andrew Olmsted, 20 Mar 2003, Stateside: The most important thing to remember over the next few days is this: the first reports are almost always inaccurate. First reports are generally submitted in the heat of battle before any real analysis can take place. Therefore, they're highly subjective, based on limited information, and rarely hit the mark. So as the first reports of 'surgical strikes' on Iraqi forces come in, it's best to take those reports with a grain of salt... Iraqi BlogsSalam Pax, Baghdad: The bombing aould come and go in waves, nothing too heavy and not yet comparable to what was going on in 91. all radio and TV stations are still on and while the air raid began the Iraqi TV was showing patriotic songs and didn't even bother to inform viewers that we are under attack. at the moment they are re-airing yesterday's interview with the minister of interior affairs. THe sounds of the anti-aircarft artillery is still louder than the booms and bangs which means that they are still far from where we live, but the images we saw on Al Arabia news channel showed a building burning near one of my aunts house... Other BlogsAndrew Sullivan, The Daily Dish: How much more morally indefensible is appeasement when we also have complete international authority to do what must be done? I think we will look back in the future and not ask, as so many now are, how it was that diplomacy didn't get unanimity on this matter. We will look back and see the moral obtuseness of Chirac and Putin and Schroder and Carter and feel nothing but contempt for them, and their preference for state terror over the responsibilities of the free world. That's why I felt enormous pride tonight in the stand being taken by Blair and Bush. The president's speech was measured, firm, just. Blair's political risks - in order to do what he believes is plainly right - will confirm him in history as a great prime minister, the conscience of his party, and the leader of his country. I say that before this war begins, because the cause is just whatever vicissitudes of conflict await us... Charles Johnson, Little green Footballs: SPEED BUMPS - I just had to go into Westwood (here in Los Angeles) and couldn't make it, because a small group of "peace activists" is blocking traffic and getting into scuffles with police. Unbelievable footage on local TV of these creeps taunting police, trying to grab their batons, sticking cameras into their faces... Glenn Reynolds/Instapundit: WAR SEEMS HAVE BEGUN IN EARNEST: Not much more to say at the moment. I hope it goes well, and quickly... Other OpinionsMark LeVine, Alternet - 'Bush Wins': The Left's Nightmare Scenario: ...With war seemingly imminent, the movement is being forced to fall back on a second scenario, "Everyone Loses," in which the warnings of a protracted and bloody war that destabilizes the Middle East and increases terrorism bear their bitter fruit. However unpalatable in terms of destroyed lives and infrastructure, this latter scenario would at least quash the Administration's imperial dreams and force the kind of soul searching of United States' policies that is a major goal of the movement. But this outcome is less likely than many assume, and the antiwar movement would be well advised to plan for a third scenario: "Bush Wins." In this third scenario, the war is over quickly with relatively low U.S. casualties, some sort of mechanism for transitional rule is put in place and President Bush and his policies gain unprecedented power and prestige. From my recent conversations with organizers and their latest pronouncements, it is clear that this possibility has yet to be addressed. Waiting much longer could spell disaster for the antiwar movement... The social and political forces unleashed by the end of decades of Hussein's murderous rule will not easily be penned in by a US-sponsored show-democracy; but whether these forces use a reopened public sphere or turn to violence to respond to the likely betrayal depends in good measure on how adroitly the world progressive community can lay fast but deep roots in Iraq. Newpapers
Updating... more to follow.... |
The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
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A minor note of humor. My ancestor is likely smiling.
Today I visited the grave of my paternal great great grandfather, an early associate of John Brown's, and a staunch abolitionist, who enlisted twice in the Union Army, was wounded twice, and honored with a number of medals.
The local American Legion has volunteers which place American flags next to the grave of each veteran of all wars. They always have a shortage of civil war specific flags (and also generic flags which indicate no specific branch of service).
Once again, apparently due to the shortage, my great great grandfather received an American flag intended for a veteran who served in the United States Air Force. He died eight years after the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk....but he is still honored by the American flag and that's the important thing.
He's buried in a small, out of the way, rural cemetery. There are three other veterans buried there. All of them were Civil War veterans as well. Each of them got an "Air Force" flag. But at least some kind volunteer made a special trip to the cemetery to see that each of the veterans was duly honored.
There are no visitors to the cemetery other than my family as no flowers are left on other graves except for my great great grandparents and a few of their children. But it's not a "lonely place" on Memorial Day weekend when someone cares enough to bring four flags to decorate those who served on behalf of their country.
All were fluttering in the gentle breeze. All the veterans buried there are remembered such as we honor our fallen heroes from more recent wars.
At a larger cemetery where most of his descendants are buried, there are four veterans of WWI and WWII. Three served in the U.S. Army, one in the Marine Corps. One, an uncle of mine, was in the Army and this year had an "Army" flag. At the foot of his grave is one of those military markers. It indicates he received one Silver Star, Two Bronze Stars, and four Purple Hearts, all in the Pacific during WWII. Actually we don't know how many purple hearts he did receive as he's known to have thrown several away. It's believed he may have received one other citation, perhaps a third Bronze star, also thrown away. He wasn't a man fond of medals. His military record in terms of his service awards is a bit of a mess. Finally when selecting the commendations my Aunt settled for the ones she found in his things when he came home. He was a quiet hero, not one to brag about a Silver Star and a few months service in Vietnam like one of our presidential candidates.
The Marine, another uncle, has a similar stone at the foot of his grave. He was awarded a Silver "Star, a Bronze star, and two Purple Hearts. He also wasn't fond of medals and didn't bring them home from the Pacific. Only when his military record was obtained by his family were the commendations known of. The original stone had no mention of them, but the government provided a new stone at the request of the family when the records were produced.
This is already a long post, but let it be known that these three heroes, among others in my family, were quiet men. They were unassuming and cliamed no special rights nor discussed their military service. My great great grandfather fought to free the slaves. He was involved in numerous "border skirmishes" with Missouri pro-slavers who raided his farm across the Kansas border on at least two major occasions. He lost a brother, a sister, and several in-laws in these "skirmishes," fighting to make "Bleeding Kansas" a non slave state.
The two uncles mentioned fought to make the world a non-slave world, free from the oppression of Hitler and the Emperor. The other two veterans, one my maternal grandfather, fought at Beaullah Wood and other places in France in WWI and received the Croix de Guerre from the French and the Distingished Service Medal from the U.S. The other soldier, his (much) younger brother, was a Lt. in the Army and served in Italy. He led a platoon of the famous Nissei (Japanese) units, the most celebrated and honored unit of WWII. He received a Bronze star and two Purple Hearts.
I didn't know my great great grandfather. But I knew the other four. All were quiet, unassuming, hard working business men and farmers who, above all, loved their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
I am always proud to see the small American flag next to each of their graves. I don't care if someone gets it wrong and doesn't match the correct service with the person. What's important is that American flag.
My family is proud, on the paternal side, to trade soldiers from the French-Indian War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Blackhawk Indian War, Civil War (all four of my most direct grandfathers fought in the Civil War), the Spanish War of 1898, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam (myself). Due to date of birth of my descendants and others we've "missed" having someone in Desert Storm in 1991 and in Afghanistan-Iraq. Had we had someone eligible to go they would have gone.
All of my ancestors enlisted. I came to do the same thing at the time of Vietnam. A majority of those who fought in the Civil War were drafted as in later wars. That did not occur in my family. I had three (including my grandfather) who enlisted in WWI (maternal side) and two (both uncles) who also enlisted in WWI. Four from my family, both side, enlisted in WWII as did two who fought in Korea.
Why all this business of "enlistments?" Because ALL of our military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq are enlisted personnel. I salute them on this weekend of remembrance and wish them well.
The memorial dedication for the WW II Veterans was well done. My husband's brother gave his life in France, my husband was in England for his tour of duty in the army. Thank you for your tributes to those fallen heros. I am so proud of the young people who have enlisted to provide us at home our freedom and safety. God bless you every day so that you may return home to your loved ones. The troops and our president remain in my prayers. The Iraqi people have been blessed by your service as have we.
Greyhawk, Thanks for everything. Your blog which we enjoy so much, your family-I am sure that they are fine people, and your service which keeps people like us safe and free.
My Dad served in the RAF for 42 years and his Father served in both World Wars. He was a rarity, got gassed in the trenches and lived to tell about it.Amazing men, and their example is just a little hard to live up to!
Anyway, you are in our thoughts and thankyou sincerely from the bottom of our hearts.
Today I watched a video of my grandson's graduation from Marine boot camp, and composed a letter to my nephew who is packing up for Bosnia.
And I thought of Pop Gittleson, the first casualty in my unit in Korea. Pop. He was 26, and a vet of WWII. The half century I got, he didn't. I hope my grandson gets a half century and more.
Men don't cry. But we moisten up sometimes.
The General Assembly actually had session this evening (Sunday), and it will have to be in session tomorrow, despite it being Memorial Day, so I will have to go (I have an internship). Because of our state's budget crisis, the Illinois legislature may actually have to go late tomorrow, like until midnight, or after. How's that for a Memorial Day?
Anyway, despite the fact that many who work at the Capitol here in Springfield will be at work tomorrow (actually, now today), I hope that all of you have a great Memorial Day, and are able to reflect on the meaning of this day. God bless all of our current and former military personnel!