Comments on: Veteran’s Day Today

By: Steve Moss

Steve Moss — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:38:05 +0000

Jarhead at 49: Semper Fi, brother.

The Marines in my small town gathered and had a dinner in a friend’s restaurant last night. We boasted that we’d drink and party until midnight. The youngest Marine was me (age 43) and, true to form, we all called it a night a 8:30. The motivation factor is not what is once was.

By: MarkHB

MarkHB — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:23:22 +0000

To any veterans. To all veterans.

Thank you. Now and forever.

By: Jarhead

Jarhead — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:14:44 +0000

Yesterday was the 233rd birthday of the Marine Corps and Saturday night I attended the U. of Washington NROTC unit’s birthday celebration. As the Oldest Marine (groan) i got the first bite of cake but the youngest Marine was a young female midshipman who was a sophomore and still just barely 18 years old – bright as the dickens and so eager.

I appreciate the thanks I receive and I am wearing my Veteran’s Day “Never Forgotten” USMC t-shirt from Sgt. Grit but I will tell you that I considered the 27 years I spent in uniform an enormous privilege and it is immensely comforting to see the quality of the young men and women who have voluntarily taken the oath to be the veterans of tomorrow.

A special thanks to the family of COL John Ripley, a Marine’s Marine.

Old Jarhead

By: TetVet68

TetVet68 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:54:54 +0000

America’s oldest living Medal of Honor recipient, living his 100th year is former enlisted Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (ACOM), later wartime commissioned Lieutenant John W. Finn, USN (Ret.). He is also the last surviving Medal of Honor, “The Day of Infamy”, Japanese Attack on the Hawaiian Islands, Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941.

‘Navy Centenarian Sailor’, 103 year old, former enlisted Aviation Chief Radioman (ACRM, Combat Aircrewman), later wartime commissioned Chief Warrant Officer Julio ‘Jay’ Ereneta, U. S. Navy (Ret.) is a thirty year career veteran of World War One and World War Two. He first flew aircrewman in August 1922; flew rearseat radioman/gunner in the 1920s/1930s air squadrons of the Navy’s first aircraft carriers, USS LANGLEY (CV-1) and USS LEXINGTON (CV-2).

Visit my photo album tribute to these veteran shipmates:

http://news.webshots.com/album/141695570BONFYl

http://news.webshots.com/album/123286873BFAAiq

San Diego, California

By: Jim Wright

Jim Wright — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:36:00 +0000

As a personal preference, I generally don’t like to be thanked for my service. I served for over two decades because that is who I am, and I loved it – even the parts I hated. I’ve been retired for over a year now, and I truly miss it, miss my teammates, miss the action, miss the danger. I don’t need to be thanked for that. But I do understand why some folks find it necessary to thank vets for their service. Sincere gratitude I will accept as graciously as I’m able, but it’s the other kind, the automatic monotone thankwewferurservice when they see my ID that I can’t stand. Personally, people can keep that shit to themselves. I hate seeing military service reduced to some McHaveANiceDay platitude and a yellow ribbon magnet.

When it comes to gratitude, I’m with ET1@19, you already thanked us on Nov 4th (at least for Americans anyway). Revel in your freedom, cherish your liberty, never give up your rights, exercise your franchise, live and let live – that’s how you honor our service.

By: Sub-Odeon

Sub-Odeon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:41:34 +0000

Speaking of recorded history. Wow, check this out. Listen to the audio.

By: Sub-Odeon

Sub-Odeon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:38:23 +0000

Xopher,

More than a few of us wanted to crack heads, but we knew it would be wrong, and would only get us in trouble, so most of us just kept quiet and tried to go about our business.

Me? I took issue with a particular anti-military pole-posterer (whom I shall not name here) and began a counter-poster campaign. We went back and forth for a few months, before Seattle City asked us to take all our posters down and keep the poles along Broadway clean.

I complied, and still have the worn-down putty knife to prove it.

My foe fled the city — under threat of a penalty suit — then he fled the state, and is now hiding out somewhere beyond asscrackistan.

That counter-poster campaign was fun actually, due to the large number of people who came out of anonymity to shake my hand and thank me — many of them prior service. The ROTC cadets at Seattle University were especially appreciative.

Military service is not for everyone. But it sucks when those who choose not to serve, not only look down on or make fun of those who do, but then take it one step further and become deliberately insulting, inflammatory, and confrontational.

By: Fred Kiesche

Fred Kiesche — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:21:51 +0000

You’re welcome.

Former Sergeant, Retired
Tank Gunner, 12 years service.

By: Adam Rakunas

Adam Rakunas — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:50:52 +0000

Come home soon, come home safe.

By: ScottE

ScottE — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:45:45 +0000

Xopher: “I’d find it hard not to punch them. The numbskulls, I mean.”

It’s like none of those kids recall any of their history at all.