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Those were Royal Navy and Marines. This happened after I left Kuwait, but I have some insight into the story:
The Brits were helping to build a new Iraqi Navy and Coast Guard, and were in the process of delivering some new patrol craft from Umm Qasr to Basra. These two ports are on seperate bodies of water (Umm Qasr on the Khor Abdullah, and Basra on the Shatt-al-Arab), so the only way to get from one to the other is to go downstream to the Gulf, then back up the other waterway. The Khor Abdullah divides Iraq's al-Faw Peninsula from Kuwait, while the Shatt-al-Arab divides Iraq from Iran -- the border runs right down the center of the waterway.
According to the Iranians, the British strayed too far over the line. The Brits were released several days later after reading an "apology" on Iranian television for violating Iran's territorial waters.
....but as for the trailer itself and the movie....they aren't all naked and greased up and all - kind of like seeing a movie of Pickett's Charge done in Turkish AF BDUs. Now, that would make the viewer think some. Anyway, I hope the movie does a good job telling the story of Leonidas and his men. The vision high art to this point has given them, is, well, not doing them any justice.
DD214? Now, whose idea was that......{preen...preen} Now THAT DD214 is easy to read. Bravo Zulu SMASH, your spies are better than mine. Mine mostly just send me dirty jokes.
I don't think so. The video is quick, but I see no Americans.
And I believe it is the incident Allah referenced, and I'm not sure the Iranians are presenting it as "news".
Anyone have background on the specific incident? I suppose a few Americans may have been along for the ride, but if so it sure didn't make the papers.
By the way: it's the uniforms. You've got to get the uniforms right. Okay, the uniforms and accents.
I never met Rich Gannon, who died two years ago in Iraq, but our lives seem to have followed parallel paths. We were about the same age, we were both from military families, we called San Diego home, we were Eagle Scouts, we both ran cross country and track in high school, we studied history in college, and we both grew up to be military officers -- Rich in the Marines, and myself in the Navy. I graduated from the Naval Academy; Rich went to Cornell, but later served at Annapolis as a company officer.
Last week, I exchanged emails with his mother, Tess. Yesterday, I placed a flag on his grave at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
I'm a little partial to Naval Aviators... being married to a (retired) one an' all... so Imagine how pleased I am to see this:
Naval Aviation Saluted in Memorial Day ServiceThe men and women of Naval Aviation will be the focus of a special salute Monday, May 29, at the 68th Annual Fullerton Memorial Day Observance.
The program, which will begin at 10 a.m., will be held at Loma Vista Memorial Park. Free to the public, the program is sponsored by the nonprofit American Veterans Memorial Association and the City of Fullerton.
Special guest speaker will be Rear Admiral James A. Symonds, the first Commander of the USS Ronald Reagan, the Navy's newest nuclear aircraft carrier. "Peace through strength," was a recurring theme of President Reagan's life in public service. The President spoke of its significance in his Radio Address to the Nation on September 2, 1988 when he said, "One thing is certain. If we're to continue to advance world peace and human freedom, America must remain strong. If we have learned anything these last eight years, it's that peace through strength works."
Symonds will arrive at the ceremony aboard an Orange County Sheriff's Department Helicopter. Once the helicopter lands, he will be escorted to the podium by Navy JROTC Cadets from Troy and La Habra high schools.
Loma Vista Memorial Park is located at 701 E. Bastanchury Road, east of Harbor Boulevard. There is ample parking at Loma Vista; however, in anticipation of a large crowd, overflow parking may be found at the Fullerton Sports Complex, which is located approximately a half-mile west of the cemetery, at Bastanchury and Silver Pine Drive. A shuttle will be available to carry people to and from the cemetery.
Distantly related to John's post below - a movie version of the story of the 300 is in production.
Could be good, but I'm not familiar with the source material (a comic book - but that doesn't bother me per se). Could work as pure action film, but obviously would work better if it captures something of the warrior ethos - a concept I can't explain, you get it or you don't. Many war movies fail in this regard - many non-war movies capture it perfectly (High Noon). In my mind that explains the difference between the miserably unwatchable Alexander or Kingdom of Heaven and films that capture it perfectly - Gladiator, or The Last Samurai - a film that surprised me in that I anticipated disliking it and was very much surprised to find that wasn't the case.
Looking at my examples above I realize most of the best and worst examples of the warrior films (as opposed to war films) genre are historical pieces. (Although Blackhawk Down and We Were Soldiers are more modern examples.) Perhaps as a culture we don't like acknowledging our contemporaries as heroic. Perhaps there are those among us who'd like to think that warrior ethos is something the world has outgrown - or no longer needs. Perhaps this makes them feel better about the empty spot in their souls where such would be. Perhaps they believe it a spirit they could summon should the need arise to refill the ranks of the 300.
You're in a deep, dark hole, Jesse. My advice is to stop digging.
This chump has been exposed. Time to move on.
so says Our Hero Jesse. Stars and Stripes got him on the telephone.
As a part of taking back the holiday - Part 3, The Burial, is up. We'll finish taking back the day tomorrow!
London Times reporter Hala Jaber, in as story headlined The Iraq Execution Video That Fooled Me, asks How could I have got it wrong?
Putting the Memory Back in Memorial Day: Sunday, May 28, 2006 8:00PM EST Live from the Nation's Capital... will be Broadcast on PBS
This year's concert will focus on two major themes: honoring the contributions of the "citizen soldiers" serving in the National Guard, and paying a tribute to the brave pilots who flew with the Air Force during World War II - including the more than 90,000 combat casualties and more than 30,000 men who lost their lives.Co-hosted by acclaimed actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, the concert will also feature performances by country music sensation Lee Ann Womack, Academy Award-winning actress Dianne Wiest, distinguished actor Charles Durning, country music sensations Big & Rich , opera singer Frederica von Stade, America's beloved tenor Daniel Rodriguez and actor and singer John Schneider, who'll be joined by the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Erich Kunzel. General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) will remind us all of the true meaning of Memorial Day.
The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff will also play a special role in the concert along with a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard and color guard teams from each branch of the armed services provided by the Military District of Washington. Also featured are the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, U.S. Army Chorus and U.S. Army Chorale, the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters, the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass and the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants.
Information on the Concert HERE
Check for local listings HERE
...at the US Naval Academy graduation; there were 980 graduates. The article focuses mostly on the VP's remarks about domestic "wiretapping", but Cheney had some lighter moments too:
"Keeping with tradition, the vice president, as keynote speaker, pardoned all midshipmen on restriction for minor conduct offenses, saying he had discussed the idea with President Bush. "The president took the view that we should be lenient," he said. "Me, I could have gone either way. But he's the boss."
" "Casey's shell lies in the grave in Vacaville," she wrote. "He is with me always and in the hearts of people all over the world who know his story and are working for peace." "
I agree - we should all know this hero's story. Here it is.
I can imagine what it must be like, to be a Christian in a Roman Coliseum, the crowd cheering for the Lion.
If one actualy defeats the Lion, then tomorrow, one will face yet another Lion, that the crowd cheers for.
Does the Christian ever come to realize that it is not the Lion that is his enemey but instead the cheering crowd?
It is a question every soldier and marine who has been to Fallujah,Ramadi ,Haditha or Sammara doesn't have to imagine, they struggle with it daily.
How does one judge the Christian in the Arena, whose heart is consumed by blind hatred for the crowd?
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