We've already noted Colonel Millett's passing.  I thought you might be interested in a few more details, courtesy the Armed Forces Press Service.Face of Defense: Soldier Who Led Last Bayonet Charge Dies American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 - Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millett, who earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War for leading what reportedly was the last major American bayonet charge, died Nov 14. Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millet wears his Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and other medals earned in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He served... [Read More]

Same Uniform, Same Army, Same War.
Same Tearful Good-byes, Same Invocation By The Chaplain... [Read More]

Well, that's what it seems like these days. First there was the report earlier this week recommending that women delay annual mammograms until the age of 50, and then only get them every other year. And then today... there's this headline: Now, Women Told: Delay Cervical Exam [Read More]

There are 12 Medals awarded for actions on this day, spanning from the Civil War to Vietnam.  That's above the average of 10 per day, and is high for this time of year - as is the number of pre-WWI Medals, as this was not prime campaigning time for 19th century warfare.Civil War, and four Medals for a busy day near Knoxville, Tennessee in 1863.  Three soldiers who burned some building being used as sniper nests and one messenger.  One has to wonder if today's press wouldn't excoriate those soldiers for the destruction of houses.FALCONER, JOHN A. Rank and organization:... [Read More]

Dear Blogger,
Please enjoy this sneak peak of upcoming material from Archie Comic Publications, Inc.
 

Archie & Friends meet president obama

President Obama has asked teens to volunteer and Veronica Lodge, the richest girl in comics, has stepped forward to answer the call.

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They were soldiers once...And young.50 years after the event, and there they are, rushing across the field where so many of their comrades died, for the benefit of the camera.  And they look like they're having a good time, in that perverse way that many who've never seen the elephant don't understand.And it's simple.  They remember the good.  The Cause.  The bond of brothers-in-arms.  A bond of an intensity that rivals and can exceed marriage.The Auld Soldier, when he retired, put away many things military. He kept an intellectual interest, to be sure, and his closest friends were a retired Marine... [Read More]

The latest installment in a series of reports from the 2009 American Veterans Center Annual Conference.  Scroll down for the other posts...

As the previous session closed I couldn't remember who would be next, but the room was still buzzing and so I felt a bit sorry for anyone having to follow General Pretraeus.  I shouldn't have worried.  Up next were Major Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, navigator of the Enola Gay, and WWII flying ace Colonel Clarence "Bud" Anderson.  Both of them were fascinating, making their session seem far too short.
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...we find a little eye candy for Dusty.



A P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning, F-4 Phantom and A-10 Thunderbolt (clockwise from left) break over Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the Air Combat Command heritage flight during the 2009 Aviation Nation open house Nov. 13, 2009. The open house is an opportunity for the Las Vegas community to view aerial demonstrations and static displays of various aircraft from the military. The open house also acts as the final air show of the year for the U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald) [Read More]

Some days, not so much.
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There are six awards of the Medal of Honor for actions on this day.  5 of them are posthumous.  All of them are from the modern era, starting in WWII.World War II - ask yourself, warrior - could you do what Captain John Cromwell, USN, did?  WWII also gives us our only survivor - Joe Foss, who I have had the honor of meeting.*CROMWELL, JOHN PHILIP Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy. Born: 11 September 1901, Henry, Ill. Appointed from: Illinois. Other Navy award: Legion of Merit. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above... [Read More]

Wonder what they are thinking?


Boq
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A rare day for the Medal.  There is only one Medal awarded for actions specific to the 18th of November (there is at least one Medal upcoming that covers a period that includes the 18th), and it wasn't awarded until the Medal was 106 years old, during Vietnam.  Earned by a Redleg, I find myself compelled to note.Vietnam, and Sergeant Sammy Davis - one helluva gun bunny!DAVIS, SAMMY L. Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Battery C, 2d Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: West of Cai Lay, Republic of Vietnam, 18 November 1967. Entered service at:... [Read More]

...need better PR agents.

At least that was my conclusion after attending the American Veterans Center Annual Conference panel of active-duty sailors entitled, "Seabees & Civil Engineer Corps:  Can-Do!"  Even with my interest in all things U.S. Navy, what I knew of the Seabees could fit in a thimble:  "They build, they fight, they set up bases before the regular combat troops arrive, and people in the know respect them."  That about covered it for me.

Fortunately, 2009 has been designated the Year of the Seabees and Combat Engineer Corps, and so a panel of distinguished combat engineers had been chosen by the AVC to educate me and my fellow attendees: CDR Paul J Odenthal, Asst. Chief of Staff for Logistics, 1st Naval Construction Division; LTJG Christopher Fairfield, currently the project manager overseeing the BRAC construction involved in combining Walter Reed and Bethesda; Senior Chief Builder Cloves Tennis, who had deployed in OIF I and OIF II, including completing 250 convoys in Al Anbar; CDR John J Adametz, commanding officer of U.S Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7; and LT Ryan W. Thrun, recently returned from an IA (Individual Augmentee) billet in Afghanistan on a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT).

The session began somewhat inauspiciously with a powerpoint presentation, but it was brief, artfully-designed, and full of interesting pictures and graphics that did an excellent job of illustrating the breadth of the Seabees' activities and greographical reach--battalions are operating from Africa to Asia, the Middle East to South America and beyond.  Activities range from combat support, such as preparing bases for Marines in Afghanistan, to humanitarian missions building bridges in South America or schools in Africa and handling hurricane recovery here at home.

Seabees, by nature and by training, are fundamentally engineers with all the impressive geek-think that comes with it. For them, a picture of a bridge they have designed and constructed is something akin to a proud grandparent's picture of the latest grandchild, and they rattle off statistics and facts like talking computers. They have every right to be proud of their accomplishments, as their unofficial motto seems to be "we do the impossible."  And for all their geekiness, there's no lack of testosterone--The pictures in the presentation certainly were inspiring, and as the images of sailors hard at work among gigantic earthmovers, massive cranes and sections of prefabricated structures flashed on the screen, I could've sworn I heard Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor grunting from the back row.
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[Series begins here.]

Listening to the "Band of Brothers" panel, featuring three veterans from the famous 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Easy Company, was like trying to follow a verbal kaleidoscope, fragments of the same story seen from different perspectives. Even within the individual stories of each veteran, perspective and subject shifted, as they followed the threads connecting 65-year-old memories. They had so much to say that the words and phrases tumbled over one another, as the speaker’s thoughts seemed to race ahead of his ability to spit out the words. It took careful attention to follow the details of their stories, but such vivid stories they were!

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...living Holders of the Medal of Honor.  There are 100 Senators. When I joined the Army, there were 293 living Holders.  There's good news and bad news in that - the good news is... we haven't had to fight the kinds of wars that produce large numbers of Medals.  The bad news, is that empirically, the Services seem to be gravitating to making it harder and harder to earn a Medal without dying during the act.  But that's a different rant.  From the American Legion:Comrades: Col. Lewis Lee Millett, a Medal of Honor recipient, has transferred to Post Everlasting. He resided for... [Read More]