Memorial Day

[DizRotus]

Enjoy a safe Memorial Day.

 

Please, whatever your feelings about the policy makers who make the difficult decisions to put our sons and daughters in harm's way, be grateful for those who sacrificed so that we may be free to disagree.  

 

[SilverSport]

Thank you for posting this...I remember those that sacrificed for my Freedom...

Bill

[RoboKlipsch]

 Beautiful post, well done!  

 

May the highest power bless those who are giving or have given their lives for our country.  

Edited May 26, 2016 by RoboKlipsch

[CECAA850]

Amen

[Max2]

Thanks for posting.

 

So many have given all for this country and so many children, family and spouses will spend their lives with a void that will never be filled.  

 

So very sad.

[dtel]

Very true, good post. 

[Fjd]

“These things we do, that others may live”

 

Memorial Day is certainly upon us, and for many, I suspect the long weekend and the large gatherings with family and friends, signify the start of summer.  I know that I enjoy the local parade, hitting the local rib burn-offs; and also enjoy firing up the large grill and smokers for the festivities.

 

However, Memorial Day is also a time when each of us will most likely hear stories about the heroic citizens who have lost their lives in military conflicts.  We should never forget this aspect of Memorial Day.

 

I would like to encourage everyone to take the time and listen, REALLY LISTEN, to these incredible stories.  When taking the time to really listen, we have a rare opportunity to hear many stories that are actually more about the fine attributes of courage, compassion and overall selflessness embodied in these individuals.

 

If an individual doesn’t have access to military veterans, one great way to gain access would be active participation in some type of volunteer work to help support a local military charity.  I’m sure there are other great ways.

 

One of my more recent learning opportunities involved the US Air Force’s elite 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron during "Operation Enduring Freedom" for missions in Afghanistan.  For those that may not be familiar with para-rescue operations, here is a nice historical overview.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Pararescue

 

The members of the 83rd are highly trained individuals that are prepared to conduct life-saving medical evacuation missions.  In the typical day in the life of a person that is part of the Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, that tends to mean parachuting out of planes in order to reach downed pilots that may be located on the edges of cliffs where helicopters cannot land.  In addition, a typical day in the life of the expeditionary rescue squadron may tend to mean opening a crashed armored vehicle with a set of the hydraulic “jaws of life” in valiant efforts to save the lives of the combat soldiers trapped inside.  

 

Said another way, the key, and core aspects for each member of the expeditionary rescue squadron’s job is to SAVE and PROTECT.

 

Save and protect, as a job description; can a job description get any simpler than that?  I suspect that we may not be able to write a job description any simpler; and from another perspective, we may not be able to write a job description that is any NOBLER.  Think about it, in order to save and protect, these soldiers are putting their own respective lives on the line to save the life of another soldier wounded in the ongoing environment of combat.  

 

Now, I suspect that it should start to make sense for anyone reading this post why I started this post with the quote at the top; considering that the motto of an expeditionary rescue squadron member is: “These things we do, that others may live.”

 

Think about it, each and every day, without any fanfare, more than a million Americans from every branch of the armed forces go about their duty quietly so that we may live freely.  Of course, for some of us, it is all too real that not all of them make it home.

 

Please keep in mind as you really listen to those stories that Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of all the men and women who laid down their lives for our country.  

 

Please pause for a moment this Monday to remember all who died protecting this great nation as they are the guardians of our liberty and freedom.

 

I know that I will; and I also know that I am proud of all veterans for their willingness to serve our country. 

 

Here is a link to an overview of the 83d Expeditionary Rescue Squadron emblem.

 

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=12852&CategoryId=7779&grp=1&menu=Uniformed%20Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description/Blazon

 

On a disc Celeste, above a landscape Azure, parted by a sun streak Or, and a shoreline of the first, a duck looking to dexter Gris, detailed of the second, eyed Argent, beak and tail stripe of the third, on its head three rotor blades of the second, its dexter wing shading its eyes, all within a narrow Red border. Attached below the disc, a White scroll edged with a narrow Red border and inscribed "83D EXP RESCUE SQUADRON" in Red letters.

 

Symbolism

 

Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue represents the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The emblem portrays the mission of a rescue squadron assigned helicopters and amphibious craft. The landscape indicates both mountainous and level terrain and water. The life raft, piloted by a caricatured duck intently scanning the horizon, indicates search; the rotor blades, worn as a head piece by the duck, indicate helicopter capability; and the yellow stripe on the duck's tail is a recognized air rescue aircraft marking.

 

 

 

 

.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Fjd

[Paducah Home Theater]

My wife's grandfather on the right. He survived D-day, even having been on a ship that was sank by a German plane, then came back to help build nukes during the cold war, eventually succumbing to having lungs full of Beryllium. He was the guy that sawed the material up, and developed a better way of cutting it as to increase efficiency and decrease airborne particles. Strange that we are now putting that crap in speakers for fun.  

 

 

[Ceptorman]

Awesome photo!

[MyOwn]

“These things we do, that others may live”

 

Memorial Day is certainly upon us, and for many, I suspect the long weekend and the large gatherings with family and friends, signify the start of summer.  I know that I enjoy the local parade, hitting the local rib burn-offs; and also enjoy firing up the large grill and smokers for the festivities.

 

However, Memorial Day is also a time when each of us will most likely hear stories about the heroic citizens who have lost their lives in military conflicts.  We should never forget this aspect of Memorial Day.

 

I would like to encourage everyone to take the time and listen, REALLY LISTEN, to these incredible stories.  When taking the time to really listen, we have a rare opportunity to hear many stories that are actually more about the fine attributes of courage, compassion and overall selflessness embodied in these individuals.

 

If an individual doesn’t have access to military veterans, one great way to gain access would be active participation in some type of volunteer work to help support a local military charity.  I’m sure there are other great ways.

 

One of my more recent learning opportunities involved the US Air Force’s elite 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron during "Operation Enduring Freedom" for missions in Afghanistan.  For those that may not be familiar with para-rescue operations, here is a nice historical overview.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Pararescue

 

The members of the 83rd are highly trained individuals that are prepared to conduct life-saving medical evacuation missions.  In the typical day in the life of a person that is part of the Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, that tends to mean parachuting out of planes in order to reach downed pilots that may be located on the edges of cliffs where helicopters cannot land.  In addition, a typical day in the life of the expeditionary rescue squadron may tend to mean opening a crashed armored vehicle with a set of the hydraulic “jaws of life” in valiant efforts to save the lives of the combat soldiers trapped inside.  

 

Said another way, the key, and core aspects for each member of the expeditionary rescue squadron’s job is to SAVE and PROTECT.

 

Save and protect, as a job description; can a job description get any simpler than that?  I suspect that we may not be able to write a job description any simpler; and from another perspective, we may not be able to write a job description that is any NOBLER.  Think about it, in order to save and protect, these soldiers are putting their own respective lives on the line to save the life of another soldier wounded in the ongoing environment of combat.  

 

Now, I suspect that it should start to make sense for anyone reading this post why I started this post with the quote at the top; considering that the motto of an expeditionary rescue squadron member is: “These things we do, that others may live.”

 

Think about it, each and every day, without any fanfare, more than a million Americans from every branch of the armed forces go about their duty quietly so that we may live freely.  Of course, for some of us, it is all too real that not all of them make it home.

 

Please keep in mind as you really listen to those stories that Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of all the men and women who laid down their lives for our country.  

 

Please pause for a moment this Monday to remember all who died protecting this great nation as they are the guardians of our liberty and freedom.

 

I know that I will; and I also know that I am proud of all veterans for their willingness to serve our country. 

 

Here is a link to an overview of the 83d Expeditionary Rescue Squadron emblem.

 

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=12852&CategoryId=7779&grp=1&menu=Uniformed%20Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description/Blazon

 

On a disc Celeste, above a landscape Azure, parted by a sun streak Or, and a shoreline of the first, a duck looking to dexter Gris, detailed of the second, eyed Argent, beak and tail stripe of the third, on its head three rotor blades of the second, its dexter wing shading its eyes, all within a narrow Red border. Attached below the disc, a White scroll edged with a narrow Red border and inscribed "83D EXP RESCUE SQUADRON" in Red letters.

 

Symbolism

 

Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue represents the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The emblem portrays the mission of a rescue squadron assigned helicopters and amphibious craft. The landscape indicates both mountainous and level terrain and water. The life raft, piloted by a caricatured duck intently scanning the horizon, indicates search; the rotor blades, worn as a head piece by the duck, indicate helicopter capability; and the yellow stripe on the duck's tail is a recognized air rescue aircraft marking.

 

 

 

 

.

It is amazing what these folks do to be a part of this elite group...

https://www.pararescue.com/news

 

https://www.pararescue.com/

 

https://www.pararescue.com/history

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by Steve_S

[MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE]

That pic got my eyes wet and a lump in my throat.....

 

Well said Neil.....

 

MKP :-)

[JL Sargent]

Wow, guy in the center has a monster stogie!

[Mighty Favog]

9th Generation Grandpa Oakey VanOsdol - Revolutionary War.

[Ceptorman]

My Dad wasn't in the military but his 3 older brothers were. At his brother's funeral 2 years ago, my uncle Pete, I noticed an 86th Airborne patch next to him in the casket. I mentioned to my Aunt that I knew Pete was in the military, but I didn't know he was in the 86th Airborne. She said he loved to jump out of airplanes when he was younger. My Dad said "you didn't know Pete was a hero"? I could hear the pride in my Dad's voice. My aunt said he made 60-70 jumps all over Europe, many in hostile areas. She said, "back then everyone was poor, and every jump paid a bonus, and we needed the money"

[Paducah Home Theater]

I had a great uncle that was a fighter pilot in the Korean war, he was shot down and captured but they apparently overlooked his Ka-Bar for some strange reason.  As soon as he got the chance he apparently stabbed two of his captors in the throat and escaped, took him like 2 weeks to get somewhere safe.  Got back home from the ordeal and realized his wife had been messing around on him with half the town, that was just too much to bear so he took some paint and wrote all her lovers names all over the walls of their nice house then shot himself.  

 

 

My great grandfather was almost a war casualty of the Second Boer War.  He was captured by the Dutch soldiers, who had some misled Christian ideas.  They basically wanted to execute him but their religion kept them from doing so.  What they did is haul him out into the desert, dumped him in the middle of nowhere, and said if it is God's will, then he will survive and make it back, never expecting him to actually be able to do so, but he did.  He went on to become a dispatch rider in WWI, in which he was gassed badly.  Still survived.  Went on to marry my great grandmother, came here on their honeymoon, and simply never went home.  

 

 

My uncle also had a close call, he was part of an Army recon unit that was one step below being a Ranger.  Went down around Nicaragua in the mid 80's due to some skirmishes, I don't know this for sure but seems like they were helping Honduras.  Anyway, in whatever country he was in, he was supposed to train the special forces guys to do some helicopter maneuvers.  They went out one day, with their rifles, but with strict orders to have no ammo.  The pilot accidentally crossed over the border, in which the neighboring country had guys on the ground who lit the helicopter up with AK-47 rounds.  He was sitting there watching bullet holes appear all around his feet, unable to do anything, just hoping one doesn't hit him.  

Edited May 28, 2016 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[Mighty Favog]

My uncle was a radar/radio operator for a B29 in WWII. Pretty much the reason he founded Trout Sound Products (PA systems for larger halls and churches) after the war and how/why I became interested in this nutty hobby.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Mighty Favog