My dad's own WW II battles peaked at the same time, Feb 19th., and in Italy. I share your view: I wish I could ask more questions. It dawned on me this past year that he actually did go on top of Riva Ridge, even though he said otherwise. As a Pfc., I think he just went where told, and didn't realize that big ass climb was the top of Riva. I pieced together his stories, and the after-action report written by Ltc. Hampton about the battle, where the artillery OP was, and that there was a dead American Lieutenant brought in there. Those are the details he told: the dangerous OP, the captured German Lt. he threatened for resisting, the dead American Lt. Weird, weird feeling to realize this was what dad did, but he was always humble to a fine point. He also went behind German lines with Bill Darby. No big deal, though. Handled the battleship like a destroyer. Things like that are amazing and these guys took it all in stride. No big deal to them. Incredible to me. Your dad was a great man.

Ha ha. I kept to the surface when I went to the Aleutians. Ever go into the Elbow Room?

I can't pass up saying that I once climbed the traverse between the two Brothers, seen in the Olympic Mountains here. Back to your regular sailing enjoyment, Seamen. Outstanding shot, Lt. Early!

You are no doubt aware that the 1st Amendment suffers you the right to argue with deer in the public square. You have no compelling need to say your prejudiced, intolerant, and paranoid thoughts of a political nature on electronic media. Move along. Everything is under control.

Add this to the list of the way we're GTHIAHBasket. Veteran mistreatment. It is like a sacrament for this generation. This time, we stick together. If I ever experience or witness this, I am going to ask to leave the flight.

The status of Ike's alleged affair is "maybe." Mac did have one with a Filipina Movie starlette. As far as Patton, his legacy is notable for his fidelity. I am disturbed by the remarks made above about him, as he was perhaps outwardly verbally profane, but in actuality a great model of honor and integrity among American officers. I regard MacArthur to be a great American general, and yet flawed in personality (Dugout Doug). His legacy is fairly shiny, and perhaps there was a day and age when we would regard the privacy of others as something to guard, regardless. Petraeus will shine in history, but I feel his legacy may still be in play with this scandal. I said above (or tried to say) that we are in a big hurt now as regards our national defense posture. It sucks, and there is one reason for that: Obama. Benghazi is not a mystery. Regardless of the chaff of details and scandal, the facts are that we failed to protect our four officials. If the administration failed to act, or were unable to respond effectively, these are both damnable. There is (supposed to be) a paper trail at the Situation Room. End of story. I know we won't get the truth, but I sure as hell support McCain and other Senators in their fight to see this through.

I fear the legacy will be a carrier, or a battalion of Rangers. Some enormous capitol expense of blood. The loss of four honored dead, two of whom were super heroes, is crushing. But, the strategic profile we now occupy is an existential threat. God help us. I stand.

I hope this helps a little. I went to Italy in 2006 to walk the Apennines where my late father fought with the incredible Tenth Mountain Division. I had just had my manhood rearranged in an operation, and I was in some pain. Excruciating pain, like when I wore the sternum strap on my chest, even that smarted. I said, "f### it," because I knew my father was damn uncomfortable when he went to Italy in 1945. That was a bad time. This is also bad, and existentially so. Time to man up.

Heads up. Rush just read your post re: laser designating the mortars in Benghazi. Keep the national attention on this, folks!

Forgive the third-hand story but I can't resist. A cadet we knew in OCS had a run-in with a tiger in Vietnam. It was a funny story because they were on the radio and the code word for tank was "tiger." Higher up kept freaking out because they thought a tank was attacking. They couldn't shoot for fear of alerting close enemy troops. As it turns out, he threw a smoke grenade to scare the tiger, but then the tiger ate the grenade! The outcome for the tiger was not good, because it was described as "watching his head implode."

I was baffled at first that this pile of junk didn't look anything like shrapnel. Must be F.O,s embedded from the blast. Tough old bird!

State of the art. Non-vets know not their heads from a hole in the ground. I read this book about Gen Truscott in WW II. Cover? Fricking T-34 tanks on the march, superimposed over which is our general. http://www.amazon.com/Command-Honor-General-Truscotts-Victory/dp/0451224027/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347420930&sr=1-4&keywords=lucien+truscott

I'm not more prescient, I don't think. But I shook my head at the start of the AS. What strategic benefit could there possibly be for us to have radical Muslims taking over the mid east? Why does Washington support, and foment wars (Libya and Syria) in support of the Muslim Brotherhood-which is the more than de facto outcome of this? When I cut my teeth on WW II history, and I mean the causes, outcomes and bile of it all, I used to marvel at the strategic thinking that historic world leaders had, in spades. Strategic thinking now? Not so much. F-ing Bambi has no earthly clue of even what strategic thinking means. Or, does he?

I haven't heard anyone turd on the military for this, as did happen reprehensibly in the Giffords shooting. The first thing out is often, "he was a (tripwire) vet." An early item did, however, reveal that this Aurora loser was not a vet. Now this: a service member covered his girlfriend with his body at the Aurora massacre, and took a round, saving her life. MSNBC. Enough said. Looks like Michelle Malkin is identifying a number of SM who were killed. There will probably be a number on the wounded rolls, I bet.

Harry Dean Stanton was a navy cook on an LST at Okinawa. Intense!

My dad's favorite was Red Skelton, who served as an entertainer in the army in WW II. Visited my dad and his section in the barracks at Newport News, VA as they were shipping out.

Best wishes from a Guard veteran.

Please, dear God, let Romney rub Obama's nose in his mis-statement about "on my behalf." As every veteran is aware, the oath of office is to defend the constitution. For the love of all that is right, this president has totally stepped in it with this one. Either he is too dumb to know his job, or willfully moving the game-posts towards his sick, tyrannical ideas about the nation. Or, he mis-spoke. He is not the smartest guy I ever saw stand up in public.

NWIH that much bling can make an M4 shoot that much better. Am I wrong? At least get rid of the front sight post. Otherwise, a very nice photo.

When you have air supremacy, you can do stuff like this. No Talib air force, obviously. He's saying: "look, about this wimmin officers in the infantry thing...which of you lemmings will be the first to march off this cliff with me?"

I remember that whole panel discussion. We are miles away, and multiple wars away, from that time. Did anything like this happen in our current war? The nearest I can think of is airing vids of us troops getting roadside bombed, via the Taliban and Al Jezeera. I'd be curious if any other things come to mind. The whole pitiful discussion is Vietnam era stuff. No, Wallace isn't worth a tinker's damn as an American. I'd say he oversaw the overall death of journalism in America. For many libs, that is a resume high point.

I have had some remove from the news recently, but I think I have gleaned some high points on this, so listen up. I have no idea who shot the civilians, nor do I know what happened. Apparently SSG Bales has turned himself in. Today, it is reported he has no memory of the event. This is the My Lai of our day. Different in order of magnitude, but greater impact will be felt because of the laser-focused bad timing of the event. Obama already flagged his moves when he said how "generally" proud he was of the military. Thanks for that, sir. One media lady at FOX suggests (important stuff, here) that if the administration (that will include the chain of command down into the pentagon, unfortunately) wants to move fast on this prosecution. The faster the case travels, the greater chance to CYA the president's war policies and the better the chance for the death penalty. The slower it moves, and the narrative will run to PTSD and here is what will happen. Forget @ Bales for a minute. The nation's military members will get a media bal! washing the likes of which you have never seen before. Poor troops at war. This is the defense. Predictions: the sergeant will be convicted (most likely scenario/ don't really know what happened) and will not get death, but life or near-abouts. He will actually be something of a local hero/ you need to remember @ Calley and his reception in South Georgia. He was held up by sympathizers and well-wishers in a confused and bitter time. I am just sayin. Obama will walk very tight rope to try not to look like he is abusing the military. Good luck on that part. The nation has embraced the military in this long war much better than during Vietnam. The narrative is already there, and will bide well for us in these dark days ahead.

We just experienced the loss of our modern day Thomas Paine. It was weird how I was channeling the video two seconds before the f word, I was mouthing the f word, too. Breitbart is inside our heads, now, and I suggest that the left just suffered a huge turn around in the initiative. That turn around had the name: Andrew Breitbart. The whole message of Fascism is boiled down to: "shut up1" I will not. Of all the Big websites, I have to say that Big Peace needs more expert writers. Just a note.

I am gawdamproud that I served under Reagan. I showed this one to my kids yesterday. As far as I am concerned, just the fact that he was our president once gives me hope for our future. Dude had some catchy optimism. ArNG, 75-85/ IRR after, O-3. Infantry. Dad: WWII vet/Italy/10th MTN Div, Pfc. Field Arty. All my uncles (7 of them) WW II/Korea veterans.

Portland?