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Day 316 - Daily Challenge - "Unique Veterans Day" - 11-11-2012
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Nov 11, 2012 16:08:45   #
jfantasma
 
There was a point in my life where I wasn't proud of what I had become. People used to walk up to me and shake my hand and tell me "thank you for your service" I used to tell them "your welcome, but how does it feel to shake hands with a killer". You should have seen the looks I used to get. I feel bad for that now. I used to feel sorry for myself for not "dying" for my country because I thought that is the only way I could actually truly honor myself and my family. I hated the fact that I had so many friends die but I lived on. People I felt were more deserving to live. I am glad I pulled my head out of the fourth point of contact. I still regret those that were lost but I cannot honor them if I were dead myself. People used to tell me it was because I was better trained and all this other nonsense, but I started telling them that we are all trained to survive the cruelties of war. How can one be more trained than the other? Who knows... Who cares.... If it is one thing we all learn in life, it is that there are no rules and regulations that state who will live and who will die.

sorry if I am babbling but this day is hard for me. I used to notify families of soldiers who have perished too. I did 68 notifications in my first year in the army. Then at the same time I volunteered to funeral detail as well. We buried a lot of veterans.

PAToGraphy wrote:
jfantasma wrote:
You are welcome for hosting today. As a Veteran this is a tiny way I can honor those who preceded me and those who are still serving as well as those who will serve in our future.

Modest Genius - Thank you for reposting here. Great photos the the different views you used. That last one is so majestic.

Roadrunner - Now how can we compare to those photos. Love em. My family finds it unusual that I always wear my hat now. I never wore them before. I stuck my Air Assault wings on it, my sniper badge, of course I have my expert rifle/pistol badge on it. Then after my injuries I worked for Secretary of the Army Dr. Francis J Harvey and them Mr. Peter Geren. so I wear my Department of the Army Staff Badge too. So yes I would say I am proud too. Thank you for sharing

Clicker - Fantastic photos as usual. Love those sad images of fallen soldiers, LEST WE FORGET!!!

MG - It was my pleasure to serve all of you wonderful people. There were times during my service that I doubted my service and those I was serving, but the first time I got off the airplane when we returned from deployment, there were crowds of people standing there cheering for us and thanking us. Since then I never doubted any of it again. I remembered that there are people out there who appreciate the sacrifices our soldiers are making. Thank you for thanking me! That is fine with your widcard. Hey if you have a family member that served feel free to post some. Archives are welcome too. I mean we aren't understanding people or anything you know LOL.

Subroto - Thank you for the comment. I totally agree with you. There are several countries that are debris ridden from war. Some will probably never recover and none will fully recover at all. Thank you for the enlightenment.

Rivernan - Sometimes it is better to say nothing than to not know what to say. It is what you show and not what you say. Thank you For Wom The Bell Tolls!! Excellent photos by the way.

Judy - Thank you! a Handsome guy indeed, But U think he is the lucky one.

Nan - Did you know that in the Army, we are not allowed to smile in our official photos? Your cousin has a great smile, bright and warming. I bet he warms up the room huh. Great photo thank you for posting.

Sue Jay - It is awesome that those young ones understand the meaning. It makes me smile to see them paying tributre. After all they are our future. Thanks for sharing. The band seems to lighten the mood a bit on days and events like these.

Plessner - That is a site I know so well. Them boots and kevlar helmets mounted like that on top of the rifle. At one of the camps we were at in Iraq, there was an entire field of them for the soldiers that had fallen. It got to the point at one time that the leadership was telling soldiers to buy an extra pair of boots. Thank you! The memorials in D.C. are great. When I worked in D.C. the Executive Officer for the Secretary of the Army was the commader for the Old Guard (Honor Guard). We got to watch the changing of the guard. The discipline that it takes to be in this elite group is amazing. They stitch thier own uniforms by hand and spend hours upon hours every single day making their uniforms look great.

Dansmith - Wow that is an amazing part of history right there. It is sad that awards are given to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice instead of those that are still living and being brave everyday. I hate the fact that they call the Medal of Honor "winners", winners. What did they win besides a medal to wear on their uniform in their casket? and those that are still living that "Won" didn't really win anything. Just a medal to hang up on the wall and a title that... yes is a "symbol" that shows the calibur of a man. But other than that has no meaning. A few extra dollars for saving the lives of fellow soldiers and losing a bunch of friends. In my personal opinion, I think every soldier on those frontlines should get the same respect. We are all expected to act on these values.

SheenaghGebhard - That is a very sad story but I am glad that you shared it. Love the photos what a great tribute.

Dane - Thank you for your service! nice tribute!

Georgiann - It is not the calibur of your comments it is the aoppreciation you show that counts. Excellent photos and a great tribute.

Oneyedjack - Thank you for your service. I like that photo and I hate it at the same time. Only beacause of what it resembles.

Pat (Mom) - Thank you. Love your photos and the story about your family. It is great to know your family history and share it with us and the younger generation in your family so that they can understand how it came to be. Your Father was a great man. He honored his brother by doing as he asked. In return he was able to have a beautiful family that can be proud to call him family. Thank you for sharing. Thank your dad for cable!! LOL that is a truley amazing story.
You are welcome for hosting today. As a Veteran th... (show quote)


Thank you "son"! Proud of you.
quote=jfantasma You are welcome for hosting today... (show quote)

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Nov 11, 2012 16:09:15   #
markar Loc: Michigan
 
Thank you clicker, for this post.
Clicker2014 wrote:
God bless everyone who serves their country in any way shape or form. Our thanks to you!

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Nov 11, 2012 16:15:42   #
markar Loc: Michigan
 
And to you too RR, for serving. You look good in that hat!
Roadrunner wrote:
JFan.........Thank you very much for hosting today, thank you for serving....

Jim

USN 1955 - 1963

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Nov 11, 2012 16:16:07   #
jfantasma
 
Thank you for that. Amazing detail, you can almost see every stitch in that patch.

Sheeba wrote:
Big thanks to all who served our country, you are greatly appreciated. Happy Veteran's Day to each of you.

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Nov 11, 2012 16:17:45   #
jfantasma
 
He sure does look proud! He has reason to be! thank you

[quote=markarWonderful, Jfan. I have veterans in my family from every war the United States has been involved in. I'm sure many others here are the same. I attended the party the City had for Vets, and found this proud guy.[/quote]

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Nov 11, 2012 16:18:49   #
judy juul Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
 
PAToGraphy wrote:
I got so wrapped up in the story, I forgot to relate the sad ending of Uncle Bill. He never saw overseas duty. He was in the army but was a pilot and his plane went down over Florida when struck by lightning. And, sadly, I don't know how long he was in before that happened or if he was found or any of that - and now the family is all gone….


That's a sad story, Pat ! I wonder if you could find out some how...U.S.A services , ancestors.com, etc....

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Nov 11, 2012 16:20:37   #
photo guy Loc: Chippewa Falls, WI
 
jfantasma wrote:
fantastic tribute! even old photos are great. I wished I could have had a camera when I was in. But if i did you would be reading about it in the newspapers for releasing classified info Love the photos and your dedication to be proud of your roots. Thank you.

Thank You jfantasma. I have more photos of relatives in their uniforms while deployed that I could share but am still deciding if I want to or not. I am very proud of my roots and my dedication to them. I am the family historian for all the sides of my family so I have a lot of photos and tons of information. I still read back through it once in a while and read through the history of the ones who have served. Very interesting.

photo guy wrote:
I would like to say THANK YOU to all the Veterans out there past and present for all you have done or are doing for us. Here are just a few photos of or from the veterans in my family. (There are many between all the sides of my family dating back many years)
fantastic tribute! even old photos are great. I wi... (show quote)

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Nov 11, 2012 16:21:12   #
photo guy Loc: Chippewa Falls, WI
 
mgstrawn wrote:
photo guy wrote:
I would like to say THANK YOU to all the Veterans out there past and present for all you have done or are doing for us. Here are just a few photos of or from the veterans in my family. (There are many between all the sides of my family dating back many years)


Thank you for sharing these wonderful vintage photos! (pg. 5)


You're Welcome.

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Nov 11, 2012 16:22:03   #
photo guy Loc: Chippewa Falls, WI
 
PAToGraphy wrote:
photo guy wrote:
I would like to say THANK YOU to all the Veterans out there past and present for all you have done or are doing for us. Here are just a few photos of or from the veterans in my family. (There are many between all the sides of my family dating back many years)


p5 Love those old photos.


Thank You PAToGraphy.

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Nov 11, 2012 16:26:24   #
RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa
 
that was pretty amazing....thanks for sharing it with us.
judy juul wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=nr9KrqN_lIg


Bill's brother sent this to us today-Interesting tribute! We enjoyed it-amazing!

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Nov 11, 2012 16:29:27   #
RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa
 
sorry for your loss but glad you have a dad to be proud of.

SheenaghGebhard wrote:
Roadrunner wrote:
SheenaghGebhard wrote:
Roadrunner wrote:
JFan.........Thank you very much for hosting today, thank you for serving....

Jim

USN 1955 - 1963


Well I didn't get half way down page one without a tear! Thank you RR and Subroto for your elequence and accompanying pictures.

My hero - my dad. Ran away to sea from a small Scottish hamlet at 15 years of age and spent six years in the Merchant Navy on the North Atlantic Run. Torpedo'd twice and once spent 10 days in a half submerged life raft. That's all I know, most "Vets" don't like to talk much, although I did get to hear of more than one memorable bar room brawl! He probably still holds the record today for the youngest person to obtain his Master's Ticket at 24 yrs old. He became a Trinity House Pilot and maintained his crowning pinnacle was piloting the Tall Ship - The Danmark - out of Falmouth harbour under full sail in 1966 - this picture was taken on board. Sadly he lost his life just short of 50, trying to board a crippled ferry with hundreds of people on board in storm force conditions. The second picture shows the pilot cutter the L.K.Mitchell so named in his honour, which is still in active service in Falmouth today 38yrs after he was killed and is regarded by all that use her services as safe, solid and inordinately dependable:0)

I have a picture somewhere of my son at three years of age at the helm of a boat in 1998 at the start of another Tall Ships race from Falmouth. The pilot cutter is on the horizon coming towards us - wheels within wheels and the inexorable circle of life!
quote=Roadrunner JFan.........Thank you very much... (show quote)


That is quite a testimony and really touching.
quote=SheenaghGebhard quote=Roadrunner JFan........ (show quote)


Thank you - as is there a camaradarie amongst thieves, so is there amongst sailors - he was not on duty that day, but chose to go ahead of others.....there was another selfless individual who dived into mountainous seas to try to save him - I'm glad he had the kindness of human contact before slipping over the edge:0)
quote=Roadrunner quote=SheenaghGebhard quote=Ro... (show quote)

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Nov 11, 2012 16:30:09   #
judy juul Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
 
RiverNan wrote:
that was pretty amazing....thanks for sharing it with us.
judy juul wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=nr9KrqN_lIg


Bill's brother sent this to us today-Interesting tribute! We enjoyed it-amazing!


Glad you enjoyed it,NAN. The tail end is quite moving! Tried to figure out where he was-but couldn't put it together. Maybe someone out there knows? Pg. #3.

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Nov 11, 2012 16:30:58   #
Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada
 
My Gr-Grandfather's Civil War discharge



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Nov 11, 2012 16:32:00   #
RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa
 
sometimes you just have to say it and IM GLAD YOU DID.

PAToGraphy wrote:
I do not have a long heritage of Veterans in my family. My paternal grandfather served in WW! in the Royal Canadian Army. My father was exempted as his brother enlisted in WWII and at the time, one son could be left to care for the family (that was what I was told). That would have been my Dad. My uncle had never married and was young (early 20s). He had saved all the $ he had made in a few years as an administrative secretary to Fischer (of the Fischer Body Company in Detroit, MI) No one knew what Uncle Bill had done - enlisting, saving his money. On the day he left, he gave his younger brother, my Dad, a briefcase which held all the $$ he'd saved saying something like, "Of all of us 4, you are the one to go to college and this will help". My Dad ended up going to Michigan Tech and earning a degree in Electrical Engineering. You have cable TV today partly because of him. After he died, I learned from his cronies, how instrumental my father was in not only Cable TV but in the design and laying of transatlantic cable. So he served his country in other ways.

My husband served in the Viet Nam years - teaching GIs how to build air strips. He never saw Viet Nam - at the very last minute his orders were changed. His brother in law was one of many who served and returned changed forever and still dealing with PTSD.

Hmm. Never meant to carry on…(Nan, I'm talking and I can't shut up!)
I do not have a long heritage of Veterans in my fa... (show quote)

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Nov 11, 2012 16:33:03   #
RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa
 
beautiful
mgstrawn wrote:
Thank You ~

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