Dawn Patrol

D-day

D-Day Tribute [John In Carolina - non MilBlogger]
June 6, 1944: It's an oft told tale. Yet more than 60 years on, D-Day still interests, awes and inspires.

We hear the date and can immediately say, "Sure, Normandy, and they touched down around 6 or 7 AM, didn't they?" We ask each other how they did what they did. And following Shakespeare, about that day the good parent teaches the child.

"Do you know what today is?" [Daisy Cutter]
My dad used to always ask me this familiar question on days like today. Thus, I didn't need a school teacher to remind me. I knew.
As the years have gone by, I have grown more and more in awe of the heroism of those who have gone before in the defense of freedom. On this day 61 years ago, young Americans and our allies stormed the beaches of Normandy to defeat the evil that was Hitler's Germany.

The Adventures of Jim, Sr - Part II [Chaotic Synaptic Activity]
It's the 5th of June here, just before midnight on the 6th. 61 years ago, Lt Jim Helinger, Sr, was making his preparations to fly a glider full of troops and be one of the 200,000 men to invade Europe. I can't begin to imagine what his thoughts and feelings were.

"The Eyes of the World Are Upon You..." [Dogtulosba,ink]
Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

61 Years Ago [Eric Grumbles Before the Grave]
61 years ago, today, Allied troops began landing on the shores of Normandy. The day has been known ever since, around the world, simply as .... D-Day. Men from the USA, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, France, Poland and probably some I'm leaving out waded ashore from their landing craft. Many drowned under the weight of their field gear and weapons in water too deep to stand in.

Iraq

Lost in Translation [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
Dohuk is a welcoming place. After walking or taking taxis inside and around the city for two days, I covered enough ground and talked with enough people to see that while the welcome is clear for American, British, and other visitors, troublemakers can expect an entirely different greeting. People in Dohuk say they have no intentions of going back, or of carrying useless boulders from the past as they move forward.

And Suddenly Nothing Happened... [Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum - in Iraq]
It's quiet here...too quiet, yeah I know this is cliche. But lately things in the "Nightstalker" AO are real quiet. We have made some "arrests", rather we have empowered out Iraqi allies to snatch some rather nasty individuals. Suffice to say the infantry types are getting antsy. As far as I'm concerned the quieter the better. It was a cool 111 today, not as hot as it is going to get, but about as hot as it has been. I am looking forward to it being above 125. The kind of heat that makes the thermometer quit.

Hey, this is just like our "worst case scenario" training! [From My Position... On the way! - in Iraq]
Last night, after the great barbeque incident, I stop at an IA checkpoint to look in on one of my IA platoons. They are going absolutely batshit. Now, that?s not normal, but not unheard of. Curiosity piqued, I get out to talk to SGT Syphilis (so named because he has this growth on his lip that will not go away, despite the amount of ?chap stick??medicated lip balms we get from doc to cure it.

What I would do for a cold drink of water [Koka Sexton - in Iraq]
After our initial drive into Iraq and setting up camp at Tallil. The heat was already beginning to rise. The locals were saying that August was "white mans death" since that seemed to be when the heat was at its peak. It was only June and it was already well above 100 degrees before noon. The entire Army was in short supply. We ate MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) 2-3 times a day depending on how much you could stomach, and for the time being, we seemed to have an endless supply of bottled water at our disposal for drinking.

Wounded Warriors [Iraq War News]
"Witch Doctors"...
When our Soldiers and Marines of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) are injured or wounded, they are usually evacuated in one of the helicopters of the 571st Medical Company (Air Ambulance), callsign "Witch Doctors", based at Al Asad.

Road Warriors [Who's your Baghdaddy?- in Iraq]
I just returned from a short trip. My destination was six hours round trip, and the three hours each way just about sucked the life out of me. The ride is monotonous and the barely-working air conditioner was struggling to make a difference in the 115 degree temperature outside. Combine all of this with an extra 40 pounds of body armor and gear, and you have a sweat-drenched uniform at the end of the trip.

Delicate situations [Phil and Becky - in Iraq]
Tonight had the makings of an exciting night when I showed up this evening for my inbrief from the Day Battle CPT. A patrol from Charlie Company was out in sector based on reports from the Iraqi Army of some bad guys in a little town in their area of responsibility.

Now, this is a significant emotional event in and of itself. You never know how these sorts of things will play out.

Hide and Seek [Hurl's BLOG - in Iraq]
I happened on two headlines this morning - U.S., Iraqi Forces Find Huge Bunker Network and one seemingly unrelated - Statue of Egyptian pharaoh found after nearly 3,600 years.

Since the invasion of Iraq over two years ago, there has been an endless stream of criticism directed at President Bush, his policy here in Iraq, as well as the Department of Defense for not being able to find WMD's or quickly wrap up this insurgency by rounding the "insurgents" all up and confiscating their weapons.

Editor's Note: Please send encouragement

Mistakes and Regrets [Middle of Nowhere and Two Feet From Hell -in Iraq]
I received an email from Sheryl. It seems Mom is in the hospital in New Albany. She had gone in for stomach pains. After several tests, they discovered she had pancreas cancer. They have given her until the end of June. She is heavily medicated and they believe she will slip into a full coma and then pass away.

I am taking this very hard. I was home on leave two weeks ago

Other Military Issues

Ho Chi Minh Trail vs the Euphrates Line of Communications [Adventures of Chester]
On Saturday, the New York Times published an article by John Burns entitled Iraq's Ho Chi Minh Trail, wherein he makes several errors of analogy:

To the end, colonel a man of the troops - [Athiest Soldier]
I find it shameful that one of America?s great military heroes has died, yet a Google search only shows 39 results, and all but four of them are a carbon-copy news release. Similarly Yahoo! news returns 38 results, and only three original items. This is outrageous when you look at this man?s record of service.

Getting there is half the fun (PT1) [Reverse Retna from the Sandlot]
Well, I'm back in the states for my R&R and I wanted to share the incredible experience I had as I traveled from the International Zone in Baghdad to Washington D.C.

PCS Orders [Pass the Brass]
Well..according to my Levy Brief I?m headed for the 19th Replacement?..that?s not what I had in mind. Turns out I?m headed for Corps. I don?t mind. I?ll deploy for sure now, except now I only have a chance to go with the 82nd to get that combat patch I?ve been itchin fer instead of a for sure. I?ll be on the same post as them?for at least a little bit.

Must....stab....eyes....out! [Pinwheels and orange peels - Guam]
One month in and we're all still here. The class motto is the classic "cooperate and graduate." Tough going, with some really great stuff thrown in. The goal is to make us expeditionary combat support experts. We'll see. Had a neato visit to the Pentagon, met with a 3-star, 1-star, and various other higher-ups for some very direct insight into the state of your military. (It's doing well, btw, just a little short of $$$ at the moment). Got to sit next to the CSAF's chair in the crisis action center, which is a very humbling experience for a lowly Captain like me.

"For the safety and welfare of the children" [COUNTERCOLUMN]
That was the excuse given by principal Ulrica Corbett, of Anita White Carson Middle School, in Greensboro, Georgia, for barring a Marine recently returned from Iraq from speaking in a classroom of students who had been sending him letters.

The MSM

Expressing my support for journalists ... [Sisyphean Musings ]
Hiawatha Bray for Boston Newspaper Guild Executive Committee At Large.
Today the nation?s bravest men and women are fighting and dying on our behalf. We who are safe at home are under no obligation to support the war, but we have no right to lie about those who are fighting it, slandering them even as they risk their lives for our sakes. It?s reprehensible, and I won?t have it. That?s why I?m asking for your write-in vote for an at-large seat on the Executive Committee of the BNG. In that position, I?ll do my best to demand accountability from our national union leaders, and to uphold the honor of our profession.
"[T]he honor of our profession."

Powerful words. I also believe that there is honor in the military profession. That the military, and by extension milbloggers, have an obligation to journalists - particularly those that are in Iraq and Afghanistan - to not impune their motives unjustly or criticize them unfairly.

Just Like Playing Telephone [dougpetch.com
You know - the game where you pass a statement from person to person and then laugh at how badly is was mangled in transmission. In this updated case, Amnesty International's William Shultz appeared on Fox News Sunday, and CNN and Reuters took distinctly different messages away from his statements.

A Editorial in Favor of...Battleships? [EagleSpeak]
Well, just when I thought I had heard the last of the battleship debate, along comes The Washington TImes with Battleships fit for duty.

Politics

Fun While It Lasted [Baldilocks]
The Republican mirth consistently inspired by the Democratic National Committee Chairman may be coming to an end. The Democrats are starting to notice what a liability Howard Dean is to their aims.

Special Section: The Jerky Wars

Tactical Pause in the Jerky Wars [Assumption of Command]
As you could probably tell JP, aka The "Beef Jerky Nazi", and I have been having a lot of fun with the fight for supremacy in the Debate of Beef Jerky in Care Packages. This kind of stuff is a great diversion for both of us, as we are both guys who like to give other people the business and we are happy to have everybody on the Net to share that diversion with us.