Heartfelt sorrow for the loss of your little Sister, Val Arrow

Someone needs to fry Curt's hard drive. I've posted once on this forum under screen name Lt's Sis but I come here to read often because there are folks here that give a damn about our military. Let me tell you there is no free speech in my house for those that would come into it and insult our military men and women and their families. They can stand on the public street until hell freezes over and exercise their right to show their ignorance but not in my home. Same/Same for a privately owned website as far as I'm concerned. Curt, I'm a survivor of two Vietnam Vets, husband and brother, they were everything you're never going to be , you'll never hold a candle to those that you have insulted on this forum including the families that represent them. Warriors all.

Hebrews chapter 11 speaks of others...a fitting description of our Marines, (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. Hebrews 11:38

“Ms. Jacobson, I struggle with your decision when you mentioned that you initially thought of helping and aiding Lance Corporal Bernard but instead continued to take pictures” Unconscionable. She will know that one day. I hope for her sake it is before she stands before the Father. His scales are true and He alone holds the balance between Love and Justice. Thank you Lord for this brave Marine and his family including those with whom he served. Comfort them and please grant them peace Lord. Lance Corporal Bernard may you rest in peace.

My day started with prayer for some bad to the bone Marines and all those in their AO in support of them and their mission. Encouraged some of your brothers put out to pasture to keep on keepin on and thanked them for all they do and have done. In the middle of an e-mail exchange educating my oldest as to why the main stream media did not cover the 9-12 march on D.C. In general just being a major pain to all those that resist our Republican form of government and trying to be a blessing to those that have offered more than we have a right to ask in defense of same.

Thumbs up! The citizens of this Republic could put it right again if we all had the heart of a Marine.

Salute and Thank you SFC Jared C. Monti may you rest in peace.

Good to see your post Major. Prayers out for you and all that are with you and your families.

Prayers out for the family of Captain Michael Speicher. Thank you to the Navy and Marines for bringing him home.

Salute and God Bless them every one, SPC. Channing Moss, his family, and all the remarkable brave souls that saved his life. All of them gifts of God to this nation. Prayers out for all and their families.

Thank you for the post Major. Salute to 1st Lt. Brian Brennan, to those that were with him when he was injured, his family and the families of those that were with him and the General. The General is a humble man not afraid to listen to his inner voice and use it not caring what others thought when he called out "currahee". I stand in awe of that bond that connects Warrior to Warrior. The courage of our wounded in their recovery is a life lesson for those of us that have never faced what they are going through. God Bless them one and all. Prayers out.

Prayers continue lifting all of you and your loved ones. Good to hear from you Major. Psalm 18

Steel on Target Major. This should never be that evil personified be glorified while our most precious gift, America’s finest, bleed and die on foreign soil far from their loved ones for a nation gorging on the vomit of pop culture. Just know there are millions of us that honor the sacrifice of America's best and couldn't forget you if we wanted to. We were cut from different cloth and learned early on (from men and women just like you) the high cost of our freedom was paid in blood by our Warriors and the heart break of their families left behind. May you all be in the company of covering Angels sent from the throne of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as you go forth and do battle.

Salute and a thank you to Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. Thanks for the post Major. What a great story!

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However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. GEORGE WASHINGTON, Farewell Address, Sep. 17, 1796 ~ Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779 ~

Found Col North's Book American Heroes in a Christian Book Store yesterday. Did my heart good to read it. He is a patriot to the core.

Prayers out for our warriors….. Recommend reading…. Triage: The Next Twelve Months in Afghanistan and Pakistan http://cnas.org/node/976 US ARMY/ MAINE CORPS COUNTERINSURGENCY FIELD MANUAL http://www.press.uchicago.edu/presssite/metadata.epl?mode=synopsis&bookkey=263154

“This time, however Gregory Edwards’ road to recovery would never end. Though the doctors operated on him more than thirty times, they couldn’t save his shattered legs. When all the surgery was done, he had one stump above the knee, a stump below the other knee, and only one functioning hand.” “I lost my legs for the people of Iraq, so their children will be able to run around, just like mine. If time was turned back, I’d do it all over again,” said Sgt Edwards, father of two Marine Sgt Gregory Edwards you, your family and all those with you humble and inspire all of us that have found in all of you hope for America. Salute and thank you Sir. Prayers out. Daddy’s home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpohfny7jWg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t0_IFfsaBY

Battle of Midway, 4-7 June 1942 -- Overview and Special Image Selection http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/midway/midway.htm

PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP TWENTY-TWO for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For conspicuous courage and heroism in combat at Midway Island during June, 1942. Outnumbered five to one, MARINE ARICRAFT GROUP TWENTY-TWO boldly intercepted a heavily escorted enemy bombing force, disrupting their attack and preventing serious damage to island installations. Operating with half of their dive-bombers obsolete and in poor mechanical condition which necessitated vulnerable glide bombing tactics, they succeeded in inflicting heavy damage on Japanese surface units of a large enemy task force. The skill and gallant perseverance of flight and ground personnel of MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP TWENTY-TWO, fighting under tremendously adverse and dangerous conditions, were essential factors in the unyielding defense of Midway." For the President, Frank Knox Secretary of the Navy http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Midway/USMC-M-Midway-VIII.html

Dive-Bomber Pilot's Narrative, Battle of Midway The following individual narrative, submitted to the Historical Section by Major Allan H. Ringblom, then a second lieutenant and pilot in VMSB-241 during the battle of Midway, is reprinted in entirety as a vivid personal-experience account of the attack by Major Norris's SB2U-3s on the Haruna, 4 June 1942, and as an excellent picture of the hazards of aerial warfare for a young and relatively inexperienced pilot. Major Ringblom, who also served as war diarist of VMSB-241, was a member of the draft of nine new pilots who joined MAG-22, in late May 1942, within a few days prior to the enemy attack: Upon arrival, May 27, at the island, we were greeted by remarks indicating that we were just in time for the "party." These remarks didn't bother us; we had just left the States two weeks before. Next morning, May 28, at squadron briefing when Major Henderson also let us know that the Japs were overdue, we did a little more thinking on the matter. The "greenest" group ever assembled for combat included Second Lieutenants George Lumpkin, E.P. Thompson, George Koutdas, D.L. Cummings, A.H. Ringblom, Jack Cosley, Ken Campion, Orvin Ramlo, and James Marmande. None of us had ever flown to SB2U, so we immediately checked out with no more trouble than a couple of ground loops. Before the fateful day we all had made two or three hops with practice bombs--mighty little preparation for the job at hand. Gasoline was at a premium, and our planes were only allowed 190 gallons (which was suddenly raised to 230 gallons on 3 June). Plotting boards were also so rare that out of our flight of 12, only four had plots. This was mighty awkward to one who found himself on the attack with neither plot nor chart (and had only a few quick glances at a chart of the area including Midway, Kure and Pearl and Hermes reefs). On the morning of 4 June, after an 0200 reveille we were all at standby and had warmed up the planes. Around 0515 the radio message was received to go on attack. Confusion was the order then as I had just cut off the engine. By the time I had started again I thought that the order was changed. Finally a runner came by in a jeep and verified the attack order. By 0605 we were all in the air. Captain Prosser returned with a loose fuselage panel so I assumed his lead position in the second box. By the time we were rendezvoused, the Jap's attack had fired a fuel storage tank, which served as a guiding mark throughout the day and night. It was a quiet, uneventful trip to meet the enemy. Such young second lieutenants never realized their predicament. It became quite apparent, however, when we were intercepted at least 10 to 15 minutes before contact with fleet units. The amazing nonchalance of Zero pilots who did vertical rolls right through our formation was a good show--very good for us since more attention to business might easily have wiped out 11 of the slowest and most obsolete planes ever to be used in the war. With the interception at 13,000 feet, the clouds became our have and Major Norris led us without loss to the target. He radioed instructions to dive straight ahead on to target, through the broken clouds. Upon breaking out at 2,000 feet, the major, being short of the target, a BB, straight ahead, whipped to the right onto a heavy cruiser. We all followed his lead. Even in the dive Major Norris gave instructions as to course home: 140º; time due 0900. The AA was heavy--but to one so ignorant of its destructive powers--not too bothersome; just curious. I received identical holes, about 6 inches in diameter, in each aileron. I imagine the shells were incorrectly fused for our altitude at the moment and so passed through with little damage. On release at 400 feet, I pulled out right over the cruiser and was headed for the center of the fleet. One turn to join on two buddies at 240 knots convinced me that was no place to circle; a Zero passed right behind as I whipped into a tight turn. Then, at course 140º, I headed home, passing just behind a destroyer. I stayed below 50 feet for about 20 minutes, in a straight course, only luck making harmless the numerous passes made by the Zeros. My gunner later told me he was too busy shooting to even inform me of the situation, and I was too scared and ignorant to turn around and look. Following the major's instructions, I flew a compass course of 140º, not bothering to compensate for wind, variation, nor compass. At the appointed time of 0900 I sighted a lagoon which I took to be Midway and let down, made my recognition approach and was greeted by fire from a PT. I immediately left the area and regained altitude to continue on course. (Woe was me! That was Kure reef, just 50 miles west of home.) The radio had failed, as radios were wont to do, so radio navigation was out of the question (as was good sense in this instance). By 1015 I had gathered that my navigation or Major Norris was wrong. I used good judgment then, for the first time in the day, and turned 180º, figuring on finding that minute speck of land, about one hour behind me. As luck and poor navigation would have it, by 1100 I had sighted two lagoons in the offing and, mentally flipping a coin, chose the one to the right--how right I was! Within 10 miles of the reef I ran out of gas so I immediately set all tabs to glide at 90 knots and almost sat on my hands to resist lifting the nose to stretch my glide. I attempted to get the lift raft loose to no avail. Then I found I could no replace the pins holding the bucket seat. So I was faced with a water landing in a loose seat. I chose to land right in front of a PT boat and all went so well that I even forgot to inflate my life jacket, the pick-up was made so readily. So by 1115 I was back on Eastern Island to be greeted by Captain Prosser, who said, "Well, never expected to see you again."--"Hell, neither did I. * * * " http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Midway/USMC-M-Midway-VI.html

Salute to all with forever thank you. The America I grew up in existed because of their actions during the war and when they came home. Warriors to the core. They did what they had to do to secure the nation and then they came home to rebuild it. God Bless them one and all.

Our warriors and their families are the heart and soul of this nation. They are gifts from God we best not take for granted. Let those that read here make sure this current generation and those coming after them do not take their service and sacrifice laid down for granted. And please do not dishonor them or insult their families by presenting them as victims. Their lives and the memory of those that laid down the ultimate sacrifice will be honored by the determination of the American people to keep faith with the values of our founding Fathers and documents. “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." - Quote from Gettysburg address- President Abraham Lincoln -

Hello? It's time to wake up folks. Way past time. Do something. Don't say you can't make a difference. Someone has to light the way. Why not you? Remember they work for US.