Not many people still think of the guns falling silent on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month any more. As we all know, The War to End All Wars wasn’t. And while every day should be Veterans’ Day, this is the one that’s been set aside so more of us will say ‘thank you’ to those who have given of themselves to defend our country and its freedoms. So today, of all days, find a vet and thank him or her. It’s the very least we can do.
If you have 5 minutes go look up the song “A Pittance of Time” by Terry Kelly. I listen to it every Veteran’s Day and it never fails to bring a tear to the eye.
If you have an hour find the youtube series “Extra History” and watch their 4 part series “The Seminal Tragedy.”
Blessed to watch/listen to both this morning with my 6 year old and explain them to her.
Look up “Only 19” by Redgum. It’s the story of an Vietnam War era ANZAC. There’s usually stunned silence at the end of a playing with a group.
thank you to all vets you have mine and my families total respect
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you read it in English thank a soldier.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Good post, Cliff!
You know what really says “thank you”?
Whiskey. Whiskey means “thanks” to a vet.
God damned right.
My chuckle for the day. Vet booze coupons
And an 18 year old single malt scotch says “thank you very, very much”.
I still owe myself a bottle of 18 year old Macallan for my Iraq deployment in 2005-2006. It’s gotten a lot more expensive since then, so i might just have to upgrade it to Johnny Walker Blue.
and bacon sandwiches ;P
Only reason I joined the Legion and the VFW when I got home was the booze was dirt cheap. And having a line of “therapist” around the bar didn’t hurt.
Glad that worked for you. VFW thought they were too good for Vietnam vets when I got home, I haven’t managed to forgive them.
Thank you all for your service.
I took advantage of two freebies today.
A free car wash and a large coffee.
Even tho rain is on the horizon it just does not get the highway grime
off the vehicle and well free coffee speaks for itself.
Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves,
Will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we’re gone and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?
– Odysseus
My grandfather and two of his younger brothers were all in the Australian Army in WW1. He was wounded three times and his younger brothers twice.
Came home and became a successful farmer.
He was upset when he couldn’t join the army in WW2. Still had three bullets in his bones.
He was 70 by the time I was born and died when I was 9. Still one of the toughest men I have ever known.
Hope everyone’s families are safe today.
RIP fallen heroes and worn-out warriors. I might not have always agreed with the how, why, or where, but the people that have done the fighting for us… I can never argue with their role. Thanks to all who have served in the name of the greatest nation that has ever existed
I appreciate the sentiment, but I can’t help but think all of this thanks is too much for my service, when I remember playing a lot of pinball in the geedunk above the hangar when I was on shore duty. The only danger I was in was perhaps a little carpal tunnel syndrome. So, thanks to the real veterans from a veteran that didn’t work too hard and wasn’t in much danger during his military service (I guess working the flight deck was a bit dangerous).
You’re talking about the deck of a *CARRIER*? Sheesh, you’re scaring me just thinking about it. Listen, it is pretty rare for most servicemen to believe they are being courageous, whatever they’re doing. When I’d been in service a little over 2 years, I was flying out of Quang Tri, Vietnam, and I was tasked to fly a Marine Captain down to DaNang to catch an R&R bird, gave us an hour to shoot the bull. I was enthusiastically explaining how much fun I was having at the expense of the USAF, when he said he’d be scared shitless if he had to do the things I did every day. I pointed out that he was stationed on a Fire Support Base bordering the DMZ with a zillion NVA on the other side, that would scare me so bad I would not be able to function, and he just looked at me like I was nuts. What you have been trained to do just appears to be business as usual, what someone else does is a frightening unknown.
Thank you for your service.
Hilts. We all joined. After that the place and risks of our service was not up to us. Coast Guard. Army. Marines. Navy. Air Force. Same same. All decided by some faceless beancounter in that funny shaped building near DC.
We will NEVER forget. As the son of a WW2 hero and a Vietnam-era Veteran, Thank a Vet EVERY day and try to make some of his simple struggles just a little lighter. Many of us volunteered for service, some were conscripted. WE ALL SERVED!
Please don’t forget the Veteran. We didn’t forget to serve and protect you!
Thank you to all the veterans who served our country. I hope our president elect will do a much better job of taking care of you beyond the battlefield.
Don’t thank a vet but support the clown in D.C., or the BS mass media outlet that does the push me pull you with public opinion on the U.S. Military’s mission(s) or efforts. Do not tolerate one iota any (proven) bs allegations of honor violations http://electroniciraq.net/news/bytopic/Haditha_Massacre_Allegations_May_2006_2367_printer.shtml, and take all others with a grain of salt until vetted. But help stomp a mud hole in the ass of anyone found to be putting forth false information.
BUT ABOVE ALL (there is GOD, and. . .)
All my guys would say, and I will forever repeat,
Thank you for there being an America to come back to.
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
RIP Jimmy 10-31-67.
Lest we forget.
My 90 year old dad, a Veteran, was buried last week. That folded flag has a new significance!
Celebrate a Veteran today. Young, old, here, gone. Thanks.
I am sorry for your loss.
+
It doesn’t matter what the preacher says, nobody starts cryin’ like they do when Taps are played graveside.
I have my dads last flag in a shadow box with his ribbons.
Mom and I looked all of them up. 2 tours in Korea, 4 in Vietnam Nam.
To all TTAG readers and staff who served: thank you for your faithful service !
Alas, it becomes harder to mourn the dead when we never avenge them.
Mark Steyn
My day of Reflection.
1980 I walked into a toy shop an purchased a Hornet model. Little did I know a year later I was selected along with another Marine Carl Crim, to fix them in the first training squadron VFA 125. Still recall Jack Anderson (columnist) article stating it was a bad aircraft with no range and maintenance per flight hour was poor. Jack never worked on a F-4. Now 33 years later it’s the backbone of Naval Aviation.
As mustang LT, on a bird to the sandbox, bottle of tequila tucked into my cargo pocket, a young Marine sitting next to me ordered a OJ from the stewardess, I requested one as well. When arrived, without a word, I poured a shot into my cup and casually tipped the bottle to his. A group of Air Force officers seated in front of us started a conversation stating did you see that guy this morning (Sgt Major). Walked to the middle of the gym and yelled REVEILLE…and they all, officer & enlisted (300) got up and started packing their gear. If that was Air Force there would be a lot of questions. Young Marine seated next to me finished his refreshment and without a word got up and traded seats with another. A new Marine landed quietly next to me and ordered a OJ…and again distributed a complementary pour. This kept up for at least a squad. Needless to say a few Marines landed in a dry country with a healthy buzz. Do miss those days.
Witness this in gulf one. As a mustang thrown into a combat replacement regiment, wide diverse MOS group jelled into an infantry platoon in days. NCO’s and non coms grabbed gear, formed squads and fire teams…not by a guide book, but instinct forged on an Island & San Diego. Bare bones yet ready of battle, proud moment, and a honor for me to lead.
When crossing a half century threshold still whole and of sound mind, you cover and aline yourself with your history and wonder what is the measure. Some days it’s two fingers of scotch choosing neat or rocks; on others thoughts drift to the path brings you to the moment. The chance encounter with Zeb found memories tucked away. Peers back in the day, would say I thought to much considering flow path was plane-fly-break-fix-repeat. However against the backdrop of keeping Hornets airworthy, the people, places and events molding Marines into an identity of a Squadron holds a place in my heart.
Never was it the daily grind of a flight schedule or routine maintenance that carried the day. Perhaps for a pilot, it was flying the edge of the envelope. MC having the paperwork complete or the crew chasing that intermittent A799 until solved or keeping unauthorized spares away from a supply officer. We carried out the plan of the day knowing OPNAV instructions were written in blood, yet did our best to keep them flying when cold war operations picked up the pace.
314 rotated their best mechanics over to the gun squadrons getting ready for boat duty and at times struggled to keep the schedule, however over time our collective abilities improved and later became noteworthy. Witnessed one evening on the far side, the combined experience of every Black Night was leveraged getting a broke bird ready for the return pond hop. A leading edge motor stripped a torque tube spline. Not recalling one failing, supply fell short citing none to be had in Europe. Speed tape shaped into a shim, securing the leading edge at the optimum cruise position and flight control wiring bypassed preventing computer moving it. CO was scheduled to fly, but unknown to him, our AMO pulled the electricians aside and had words. They rigged wiring to simulate flight control fail causing boss to hot seat another plane. Next morning Mr. AMO strapped himself to a “field repair” plane and prepared for a two ship scoot across the Atlantic. His faith & confidence in our abilities, was for me, a leadership moment. We stood…watched as he used the entire runway before wheels in wells, his wing was off a third sooner. As silence fell across a foreign airfield, we looked at one another without words, knew our abilities exceeded what was scribed in a manual.
There were may days like the one mention. In a world of black & white, stayed on the lighter side of gray, everyone calculating risk, executed our plays, getting the job done. There is no civilian comparison, two hundred plus keeping a weapon system ready to do damage when called upon. Proud then and more now seeing the replacements perform as well, if not better.
A heartfelt thank you from my entire family, and our deepest respect.
Thank you for what, exactly? Killing for politicians? Thanks for nothing.
Aw, trigglypuff got triggered. hillary lost and now you’re in a snit. Get used to it, trigs. The next 4 years are going to be rough on you. And with the chance to load scotus the next 4 decades may just suck for you.
Heh, this meme again? Warmonger Hillary Clinton has supported every war the US has ever fought, she would have given the military a massive boost: more wars, more money, more bennies, more “thank you for your service” intoned by people who don’t even stop to think about why their sons and daughters are dying in some third world hellhole.
Apparently dying for Bush is better than dying for Obama.. because Bush cares, amirite? 🙂
You’re fickle. She’s lost so now you throw her under the bus. Gonna suck up to kapo bloomberg or soros next?
Observe the dialectical prowess of the militarist. No logic, no attempts to actually explain why service should be thanked, pure ignorance on the fact of who is actually being served (pro-tip: it is not the American people), just personal attacks and ad hominems.
As usual the Kissinger quote demonstrates itself to be a truism.
Doesn’t matter hoe. TRUMP WON. NOW SUCK IT!!!!!
Wow, henry said it so it must be true. You’re sharp. As a bowling ball.
Can you actually explain *how* it is not true? That is how debates usually work, you actually have to explain your position.
But I should not expect so much as a real debate with a militarist, it is like asking a monkey to write an orchestral symphony. 🙂
We get it, mds. The high point of your life was being on the debate team in middle school. You were a master debater and a pretty good hall monitor, too. But your life has taken a wrong turn. Didn’t work how you thought it would.
Now all you have is trolling. And now that your progressive buddies are on the ropes you’re really frustrated and lashing out.
You came here to insult honorable men and women that have served their country. And you want to enforce some silly ass debate rules from grade school.
Once again. Still yet again. Life hasn’t worked as you hoped it would.
Got it, you cannot construct a logical argument to back your opinions in a way that even middle-schoolers can do.
Yep, good old Henry K. got it right again. 🙂
You came here, in troll fashion, to pick a fight. You got the fight and now you’re crying to the principal about that mean boy that fought back.
Remember this? Dark Triad of Personalities? Sociopathic Sadist? The mark of a real troll. Camoflauge your true intents behind the debate smokescreen. You’re fooling no one but yourself.
Oh I see, challenging your mindless militarist assumptions is “picking a fight”. I am sorry if you are triggered by uncomfortable questions that damage your fragile self-worth.
Also, “fought back” implies you had a logical response. Your response is more akin to a crybaby tantrum. 🙂
Aww. Bless your heart. You came here looking for a fight. You knew you’d get it. Now you want to act like the victim.
How very progressive of you. Have you also been throwing a temper tantrum in the streets with your other hillaryites?
We beat you and your kind. Quit sulking and move on with your life.
TRUMP won bitch! You should go blow your brains out now you liberal fag! Because the next century will be dominated by TRUMPISM. SUCK IT.
Keep crying! She lost! TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP! ALL OVER HILLARYS ASS!!!!
One, two, TRUMPS comming for YOU…
Three, four, Obamas out the door!
Five, six, build a big ol’ fence!
Seven, eight, make America GREAT
Nine, ten, Moslems never gonna win!
Eleven, twelve, HILLARYS IN HELL!!!
DO IT ALL AGAIN!!!!
Yeah that’s what I thought gaymo. Cant stand gettin hit by the TRUMP TRAIN.
GET ON BOARD OR GET RUN OVER.
Don’t like the election results? TOO BAD!!!
TRUMP WON!!!
DEAL WITH IT!!!!
Yeah…, you can just…
DEAL WITH IT!!!
Just wait until you’re god Hitlery is in jail and you’re BLM Daesh heros are all dead at TRUMPS feet!!! And you’ll be crying with your lil dik I your hand to TRUMP.
Typical. Too buisy jerkin it to Hitlery to respond. Too gay to jerk it Ivanka. Guess what? TRUMP pounded UR ASS!!!!
WHY?????????
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