****
Already Today (Beijing is 13 hours ahead of Washington, DC)
The President participated in a State Arrival Welcome Ceremony. Afterward, he participated in a bilateral meeting with President Xi and then delivered remarks to press. In the afternoon, he attended a State Banquet with President Xi. Afterward, he departed Beijing en route Naypyitaw, Burma. After arrival, the President attended an East Asia Summit Gala Dinner.
****
Later This Week
Thursday
The President will attend an EAS plenary session followed by an U.S.-ASEAN session and hold a bilateral meeting with President Truong Tan Sang of Vietman. In the evening he will have a bilateral meeting with Burmese President Thein Sein. He will remain overnight in Naypyitaw.
Friday
The President will depart Naypyitaw en route Rangoon, Burma. While in Rangoon, he will meet with Aung San Suu Kyi at her residence. He will also participate in a Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall. In the evening, the President will depart Rangoon en route Brisbane, Australia. He will remain overnight on Air Force One.
Saturday
The President will arrive in Brisbane, Australia. While in Brisbane, he will participate in official G20 events including a leaders retreat, a plenary session, a working dinner and a cultural presentation. He will also deliver remarks at the University of Queensland. He will remain overnight in Brisbane.
Sunday
The President will participate in two G20 plenary sessions and a working lunch. Afterward, he will participate in a press conference before departing Brisbane en route Washington, DC.
****
President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom http://t.co/5BFRSJON2Y pic.twitter.com/1GTSXEHhnZ
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) November 11, 2025
****
****
On This Day
President Obama greets Korean War veteran Private Hector Cafferata, who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic service at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, following his remarks at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, Korea, Nov. 11, 2010 (Photo by Pete Souza)
****
Aboard the USS Carl Vinson, docked at North Island Naval Station in San Diego, Nov. 11, 2011
****
MoooOOOooorning! Will catch up later in the day on the China trip - chat on!
White House.gov
Top o’ the morning you lot!
Good morning Shipmate!!
Ahoy there Admiral!
Thinking of you on this day {{Shipmate}}, your head must be so full of memories.
Yeah. There’s a part of me that wished I’d have stayed. There was no confusion, the mission was clear and everyone knew what the “Deal” was.
Quadruplets? I mean, really, how do we do it?? ;)
G’morning Mr. Yardarm, and Happy Veterans Day to you! Congrats on #1 :)
Thanks. I’m still looking over me shoulder for vc. :lol:
Happy Veterans day to you, sailor. Thank you for your service.
Hand salute!
Salute returned. TY.
HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE OUR PRESIDENT IS NOT A LAME DUCK!!!!!!! HE WILL NEVER BE LAME!…TRUST ME…THE REPUGNANTS ARE ‘ROADKILL!’
We honor our vets today.
<3
I’LL TELL YOU WHAT…IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO CONFUSE ME ON THIS OVERSEAS SCHEDULE….GEESH…I TAIN’T BLONDE FOR NOTHIN’…EVEN IF IT’S NOT REAL!…..MOVE ON MR. PRESIDENT…TRYING TO KEEP UP HERE!
Make that quintuplets, SueDuvallSmith, or maybe time has stopped!
I AM SPEECHLESS….BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
Strength and Honor! All Respect Due.
PREACH NANCY …..
—————————
Scheiber saying the President is “unknowable” is basically the same thing as Chuck Todd writing a book about him titled The Stranger. Of course that doesn’t stop either of them from writing thousands of words about President Obama filled with all kinds of assumptions and projections. Its nonsense. Simply by paying attention and having an internet that provides me with more information than I can process, I know this president better than another other in my lifetime - even without “insiders” whispering in my ear.
And Noam, that “gap between his talents and the public’s enthusiasm” is actually a product of racism combined with a completely inept media (see: “basic unknowability” above).
————————————-
I remember that basketball game on the carrier well. My son was selected to be able to attend the game well he was on duty (Army) in San Diego. Since his favorite school was playing, he was doubly excited.
I have to admit, he was probably more excited to shake the hand of the MSU coach than to see the President. He had seen the President earlier and has since.
LIVE NOW: NY Mayor Bill Di Blasio - Ebola Press Conference - http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
http://blog.theveteranssite.com/a-fun-us-navy-tribute/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=flag&utm_campaign=a-fun-us-navy-tribute&utm_term=20140406
Oh my…Chuckie Toad’s book is not doing well on Amazon - I’m afraid…of the four reviews posted thus far, three gave it 1-star, and one gave it a very sarcastic 5-star rating….
Here is the 5-star review:
“Chuck Todd has given the public a book that is both weighty & insubstantial at the same time. In 528 pages and over 3 lbs of detailed and often inarticulate anecdotes, Todd accomplishes this with plodding success. In short, like a bag of potato chips, filled with air and not many chips. While rambling at times, it’s not without its charm. He permits the reader to indulge in mental walkabouts in those moments when you lose interest in the page. President Obama does not come off well in Chuck Todd’s panegyric of his own journalistic prowess but that should come as no surprise to Todd’s fandom. Both of them will be well pleased in this substantial tome that functions as both a doorstop and an admirable implement for smashing the stray cockroach. Few books like Todd’s allow the reader to toss away the Ambien in favor of the mind numbing brought on by Todd’s hagiography. I endorse this book for all the stated reasons, just don’t spend your own money to buy it.”
The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House
OOOOPS….
Magnificent!!! :lol:
If Chuck Todd has family - I bet they have all lined up to go to undisclosed locations and change their last name. :D :D :D
He’s got kids, 4 of ‘em, IIRC.
And some benighted woman who has to put up with him, one of the biggest blights on “journalism” today.
I love this Blitzen, whoever he is. The perfect thought that the book can be used as both a doorstop and “an admirable implement for smashing the stray cockroach” is such a nice thrust to the Todd solar plexis.
When I saw the five stars, I said “whhhaaaaatttttt?”. Then I read on. I may never stop laughing at the cockroach line :-)
LOL - Indeed Chips and jackie. It was brilliant of Blitzen to rate it 5-stars, because readers will definitely notice that one amidst a sea of 1-star reviews….
Fantastic find Hopefruit, I’m still howling!!!
PERFECTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ouch.
I am howling here!!!!
Me too. That review made my day, especially the “doorstop” “stray cockroach” comment. 😀
So Chucky’s book isn’t doing to well. As had as I try I can not shed a tear. The smile is coming easy, so easy.
TODD WAS NOT STANDING IN LINE WHEN GRACE…HUMILITY…INTELLIGENCE…DIPLOMACY AND COMPASSION WERE GIFTED…THIS PRESIDENT RECEIVED THEM ALL AND MORE IMPORTANTLY…YOU WILL NOT CATCH HIM BOASTING ABOUT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS….TODD’S LEAVES ARE WILTED AND HIS ROOTS ARE SHOWING.
LMAO! :) :)
Fuckabee 2016!!!!!! Mooooooorning GB!
Mawnin’ :)
OMG, how either of them kept a straight face through that is beyond me.
I’m still howling uncontrollably, will be doing so throughout the day at odd moments when I think back.
This is *the* funniest thing I’ve ever seen!
Ah…North Island:) Fond memories of hubby being stationed there aboard the USS Kitthawk….of course, he also went away for nearly a year on a WESTPAC cruise the first year we were married, but I did love living in Coronado :) :) wish I still did….
That would be USS KITTYHAWK. Sorry.
The 6 Senate Democrats Most Likely To Vote With McConnell’s GOP
McCaskill
Manchin
Heitkamp
Donnelly
King
Tester
Examples of their bullsh*t at link
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/defecting-senate-democrats
That still doesn’t give him a veto proof majority, nor does it make his agenda filibuster proof.
Dr, Spencer sorta, kinda looks like Anthony Weiner.
Meanwhile, overseas, the situation for the Yezidi stranded on the mountain and surrounded bu ISIL has gotten marginally better. The key here is that it is Iraq who is providing them with assistance, as well as coalition forces striking ISIL forces on the ground.
Like Kobane, Mt Sinar was supposed to be easy pickings for ISIL. Turns out they were wrong.
Listening to Joe Cirincione this morning on the radio. I really trust his knowledge on these matters. He backs the President’s policies, but also feels it is important that Congress weigh in. He also pointed out that the first phase of the mission is going well in that ISIL is not able to make any further advancements and take new territory. A few towns have been retaken by both Kurds and the Iraqi military, but it may be close to a year before we see a major counteroffensive, particularly in Iraq.
As POTUS has said, this will not be short and it will take ground forces, but those forces will not be ours. We want to make sure the forces that take the battle to ISIL will be well tarined and, just as importantly, committed to defeating ISIL and not running away. I think the fact there have been minor victories is a good sign and will help psychologically in the battle against ISIL, both for the Iraqi forces feeling more confident and because it shows that ISIL is not unbeatable.-
Manchin: I Won’t Put Up With ‘Bulls**t’ If Dems Try To Obstruct GOP . Claire McCaskill also …
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/joe-manchin-block-gop-agenda-bs
A Sailor’s Thoughts
A sailor will walk 10 miles in a freezing rain to get a beer but complain mightily about standing a 4 hour quarterdeck watch on a beautiful, balmy spring day
·A sailor will lie and cheat to get off the ship early and then will have no idea where he wants to go.
·Sailors are territorial. They have their assigned spaces to clean and maintain. Woe betide the shipmate who tracks through a freshly swabbed deck.
·Sailors constantly complain about the food on the mess decks while concurrently going back for second or third helpings.
·Some sailors have taken literally the old t-shirt saying that they should “Join the Navy. Sail to distant ports. Catch embarrassing, exotic diseases.”
·After a sea cruise, I realized how much I missed being at sea. We are now considering a Med cruise visiting some of my past favorite ports. Of course I’ll have to pony up better than $5,000 for the privilege. To think, Uncle Sam actually had to pay me to visit those same ports 25 years ago.
·You can spend two years on a ship and never visit every nook and cranny or even every major space aboard. Yet, you can know all your shipmates.
·Campari and soda taken in the warm Spanish sun is an excellent hangover remedy.
·E5 is the almost perfect military pay grade. Too senior to catch the crap details, too junior to be blamed if things go awry.·Never be first, never be last and never volunteer for anything.
·Almost every port has a “gut.” An area teeming with cheap bars, easy women and partiers. Kind of like Bourbon St., but with foreign currency.
·If the Guardia Civil tell you to “Alto,” you’d best alto, right now. Same goes for the Carabinieri, gendarmes and other assorted police forces. You could easily find yourself in that port’s hoosegow. Or shot.
·Contrary to popular belief, Chief Petty Officers do not walk on water. They walk just above it.
·Sad but true, when visiting even the most exotic ports of call, some sailors only see the inside of the nearest pub.
·Also under the category of sad but true, that lithe, sultry Mediterranean beauty you spent those wonderful three days with and have dreamed about ever since, is almost certainly a grandmother now and buying her clothes from Omar the Tent maker.
·A sailor can, and will, sleep anywhere, anytime.
·Do not eat Mafunga, ever!
·Yes, it’s true, it does flow downhill.
·In the traditional “crackerjack” uniform you were recognized as a member of United States Navy, no matter what port you were in. Damn all who want to eliminate or change that uniform.
·The Marine dress blue uniform is, by far, the sharpest of all the armed forces.
·Most sailors won’t disrespect a shipmate’s mother. On the other hand, it’s not entirely wise to tell them you have a good looking sister.
·Sailors and Marines will generally fight one another, and fight together against all comers.
·If you can at all help it, never tell anyone that you are seasick.
·Check the rear dungaree pockets of a sailor. Right pocket a wallet. Left pocket a book.
·The guys who seemed to get away with doing the least, always seemed to be first in the pay line and the chow line.
·General Quarters drills and the need to evacuate one’s bowels often seem to coincide.
·Speaking of which, when the need arises, the nearest head is always the one which is secured for cleaning.
·These people you never mess with: the doc, the paymaster, cook and the ship’s barber.
·In the summer, all deck seamen wanted to be signalmen. In the winter they wanted to be radarmen.
·Do snipes ever get the grease and oil off their hands?
·Never play a drinking game which involves the loser paying for all the drinks.
·There are only two good ships: the one you came from and the one you’re going to.
·Whites, coming from the cleaners, clean, pressed and starched, last that way about 30 microseconds after donning them. The Navy dress white uniform is a natural dirt magnet.
·Sweat pumps operate in direct proportion to the seniority of the official visiting.
·Skill, daring and science will always win out over horseshit, superstition and luck.
·We train in peace so that in time of war the greater damage will be upon our enemies and not upon ourselves.
·”Pride and professionalism” trumps “Fun and zest” any day.
·The shrill call of a bosun’s pipe still puts a chill down my spine.
·Three biggest lies in the Navy: We’re happy to be here; this is not an inspection; we’re here to help.
·Everything goes in the log.
·Rule 1: The Captain is always right. Rule 2: When in doubt refer to Rule 1.
·A wet napkin under your tray keeps the tray from sliding on the mess deck table in rough seas, keeping at least one hand free to hold on to your beverage
.·Never walk between the projector and the movie screen after the flick has started.
·A guy who doesn’t share a care package from home is no shipmate.
·When transiting the ocean, the ship’s chronometer is always advanced at 0200 which makes for a short night. When going in the opposite direction, the chronometer is retarded at 1400 which extends the work day.
·If I had to do it all over again, I would. Twice.
·When I sleep, I often dream I am back at sea.
·Good shipmates are friends forever
Sent this to the chief:) Thanks, yardarm!
Tell him I give him a hand salute, eh.
Will do:) He would shake your hand and say thank you.
MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY! :-)
Yes… :) Great appreciation, that’s for sure!
I’m not really pessimistic about the King lawsuit. I have a feeling that the ACA will be left intact because the argument against the subsidies for federal exchanges is so ridiculous. The case for the Individual mandate was a lot harder to defend. Maybe I’m just being optimistic.
Health Update:
I got some more news yesterday. In addition to the blood clot, they found a bone lesion that’s been slowly growing. THAT is actually the main source of my pain. They originally told me it was the blood clot. So this Friday I have a radiation consultation.
{{{{{{{gobrooklyn}}}}}}}
(((Hugs))) :)
Love you, {{{{GoB}}}}. Sending your highest healing.
Hang in there GB…Keeping you in prayer!!
Thanks, Donna.
Keeping positive thoughts for you, GB.
Thanks. I’ll need it.
GoB, you’ve been through so much. And there is still a lot of positive prayer and highest hopes out there for you.
Thank you, meta.
(((GB)) Keeping you in my prayers….
Thanks, Kasai.
Thinking of you always, gb….Hugs
(((Hugs))) to ya! Thanks.
We love you, GoB - and love can work miracles!
I love you back! :) And yes it can.
((( GB )))
Wish we all could be in the waiting room with you, holding your hand, giving you our hugs and support.
If you need cheering up, just play Megyn butchering Huckabee’s name in your mind. :)
LOL!! That would definitely help.
In my prayers, GB.
Thank you!
{{{{{GoB}}}}}
Hugs back to you Pamela. Thanks! :)
GOB, all positive thoughts will be with you on Friday. Keep your spirits up.
I will, Jackie. Thank you.
Keeping you in my thoughts, GB.
Thanks, Bob!
Dear GB We here at TOD lurkers and active participants are with you. Think of us as your virtual supporters sending love and healing.
I do and I appreciate it so much. Thanks, Otter.
Sending love and positive energy your way, gb!
Much needed, Dudette. Thanks.
And the story in Benghazi that, for some reason is not being reported on in the US media. Ansar al-Sharia is a group that is giving major responsibility for the attack on the consulate. A month ago, it was basically in control of all of Benghazi.
This press conference was like an Ebola Public Service Announcement that required a box of tissues. Very eloquent and moving remarks by all.
He needs to go on and change parties….
But then that would require him to actually govern, along with the GOP, and he would no longer be a corrupt mole informing the GOP of DEM’s plans….
Why has he “put up” with gop obstruction? He didn’t say a word about gop blocking the Surgeon General nominee, or any of the other bs.
Because like HF2 says he was their mole. He’s a fake Dem. Back not too long ago Dems held all the high offices in WV. So he was a well liked Dem just like Rockerfeller and Byrd. The state has shifted to the right and has continued to be more and more conservative. He’s a thorn in our side. Just switch and be done with the charade.
I think I will email Sen. “GOP” Manchin.
The Patriot
>He was getting old and paunchy
>And his hair was falling fast,
>And he sat around the Legion,
>Telling stories of the past.
>
>Of a war that he once fought in
>And the deeds that he had done,
>In his exploits with his buddies;
>They were heroes, every one.
>
>And ‘tho sometimes to his neighbors
>His tales became a joke,
>All his buddies listened quietly
>For they knew where of he spoke.
>
>But we’ll hear his tales no longer,
>For ol’ Joe has passed away,
>And the world’s a little poorer
>For a Soldier died today.
>
>He won’t be mourned by many,
>Just his children and his wife.
>For he lived an ordinary,
>Very quiet sort of life.
>
>He held a job and raised a family,
>Going quietly on his way;
>And the world won’t note his passing,
>’Tho a Soldier died today.
>
>When politicians leave this earth,
>Their bodies lie in state,
>While thousands note their passing,
>And proclaim that they were great.
>
>Papers tell of their life stories
>From the time that they were young
>But the passing of a Soldier
>Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
>
>Is the greatest contribution
>To the welfare of our land,
>Some jerk who breaks his promise
>And cons his fellow man?
>
>Or the ordinary fellow
>Who in times of war and strife,
>Goes off to serve his country
>And offers up his life?
>
>The politician’s stipend
>And the style in which he lives,
>Are often disproportionate,
>To the service that he gives.
>
>While the ordinary Soldier,
>Who offered up his all,
>Is paid off with a medal
>And perhaps a pension, small.
>
>It is not the politicians
>With their compromise and ploys,
>Who won for us the freedom
>That our country now enjoys.
>
>Should you find yourself in danger,
>With your enemies at hand,
>Would you really want some cop-out,
>With his ever waffling stand?
>
>Or would you want a Soldier
>His home, his country, his kin,
>Just a common Soldier,
>Who would fight until the end.
>
>He was just a common Soldier,
>And his ranks are growing thin,
>But his presence should remind us
>We may need his likes again.
>For when countries are in conflict,
>We find the Soldier’s part
>Is to clean up all the troubles
>That the politicians start.
>
>If we cannot do him honor
>While he’s here to hear the praise,
>Then at least let’s give him homage
>At the ending of his days.
>
>Perhaps just a simple headline
>In the paper that might say:
>”OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
>A SOLDIER DIED TODAY.”
>
Ya’ll please forgive me. I’m on a nostalgia roller coaster today. I’m subject to post all sorts of stuff today. ;-)
No apologies required. It’s your day. Do your thing. Sailor. We’re with you. :-)
DITTO HERE…GOD BLESS YOU YARDARM!!!!!
TY
My dad was in the Navy, too. And *extremely* sentimental.
There were some good times for sure and some shared sacrifices.
This Presser was AWESOME!!!
PBO may not have any fucks left to give (re: BWD and Nerdy) But neither does Mayor Bill de Blasio.
This was an in-your-face smackdown of the odious Duo Cuomo and Christie.
A victory lap for intelligence mixed with common sense and a rebuke to GOP anti-Obama propaganda.
It was also a Gigantic Shout-Out to NYC’s Public Hospitals which did a spectacular job.
(Unlike the racist Private Dallas death trap that sent an uninsured black very sick man home with tylenols.)
Bill de Blasio should be on every progressive’s list of charismatic competent politicians.
If he decides to run for Prez in 2024 I will be behind him… :) Or Maybe he might try to run for NY Gov first though :)
Lonnie Bunch, museum director, historian, lecturer, and author, is proud to present A Page from Our American Story, a regular on-line series for Museum supporters. It will showcase individuals and events in the African American experience, placing these stories in the context of a larger story — our American story.
A Page From Our American Story
BUffalo Soldiers
In 1866, an Act of Congress created six all-black peacetime regiments, later consolidated into four –– the 9th and 10th Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th Infantry –– who became known as “The Buffalo Soldiers.” There are differing theories regarding the origin of this nickname. One is that the Plains Indians who fought the Buffalo Soldiers thought that their dark, curly hair resembled the fur of the buffalo. Another is that their bravery and ferocity in battle reminded the Indians of the way buffalo fought. Whatever the reason, the soldiers considered the name high praise, as buffalo were deeply respected by the Native peoples of the Great Plains. And eventually, the image of a buffalo became part of the 10th Cavalry’s regimental crest.
Initially, the Buffalo Soldier regiments were commanded by whites, and African-American troops often faced extreme racial prejudice from the Army establishment. Many officers, including George Armstrong Custer, refused to command black regiments, even though it cost them promotions in rank. In addition, African Americans could only serve west of the Mississippi River, because many whites didn’t want to see armed black soldiers in or near their communities. And in areas where Buffalo Soldiers were stationed, they sometimes suffered deadly violence at the hands of civilians.
Click here to read more.
dd-enews-temp-lonnie-bunch-2.jpg
All the best,
Lonnie Bunch
Director
P.S. We can only reach our $250 million goal with your help. I hope you will consider making a donation or becoming a Charter Member today.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the newest member of the Smithsonian Institution’s family of extraordinary museums.
The museum will be far more than a collection of objects. The Museum will be a powerful, positive force in the national discussion about race and the important role African Americans have played in the American story — a museum that will make all Americans proud.
Address Info
Membership Department
P.O. Box 96832
Washington, DC
20090-6832
For Correspondence:
P.O. Box 37012 MRC 509
Washington, DC
20013-7012
[email protected]
nmaahc.si.edu
© 2014 Smithsonian
Institution
Happy Veterans Day Everyone:-)
Salute! Yardarm…Thank you for your service.
JER please see my review of BdB’s presseer above.
Good Tuesday TOD from My snowy, partly cloudy, cold Neck of The Woods.
Have Not read much. Have not been watching much.
A Salute to all TODable Vets……..Yardarm, Jovie, etc. Bless you all and THANK YOU for your selfless service.
My congrats to all Au :star: winners, starting with this R&S and many posts back.
Great to see this Tweet that Dr Spencer is now released from the Hospital, Ebola free.
The Wall
A little history most people will never know.
Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall
There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall,
including those added in 2010.
The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us
by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to
believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.
The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth
, Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on
June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine
Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.
There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.
39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.
8,283 were just 19 years old.
The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.
12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.
5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.
One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.
997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam …
1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam ..
31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.
Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.
54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia .
I wonder why so many from one school.
8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.
244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War;
153 of them are on the Wall.
Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.
West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation.
There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.
The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school
football an d basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of
Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer
busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail,
stalked deer in the Apache National Forest. And in the patriotic camaraderie
typical of Morenci’s mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High
enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence
Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.
The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales
were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale,
Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart.
They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to
Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed.
LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F.
Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving
Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor
Remembrance Day.
The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 2025 ~
245 deaths.
The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415
casualties were incurred.
For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that
the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the
families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these
numbers created.
Many are, until they too pass away, haunted with these numbers,
because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters.
There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.
And 4 young men from our neighborhood, playmates from our younger years.
I’ll never forget visiting the Wall. So glad I got to see it.
Was only in DC once since the Wall was built (15 years ago).
I visited at night, which provides the appropriate somberness required for someone who turned 18 years old in 1972 (but most of my male friends turned 18 in 1971, during the height of the Draft Lottery).
I flipped through the pages of the book that lists all those whose names are entered on the wall (provided to help people find specific names).
What stuck me most was that at least 95% of the people were born in the 1940s. Very few names in the decades before, even fewer in the decade I was born.
Most of the KIA were Army, followed by Marines — few from the Navy, which I was most familiar to me, having grown up in San Diego.
The Wall is such an architectural inspiration.
Honor to all those who have served the US before and since.
<3 Silver Fox <3. Sigh.
VP Biden speaks>>
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/vice-president-biden-speaks-arlington-national-cemetery
How much push back will we get from democrats in congress. Zero.
Zero is right. I’m beginning to think they will probably join the gop obstruction. For the last 6 months or so I have seen comments on so called “liberal” blogs, that the gop winning congress, obstructing and even impeaching the POTUS, would somehow be a good thing for dems in 2016. “we are going to take control of everything Hillary will win a landslide.” In this past election, the dems were willing to sacrifice their own senators and stab PBO in the back for Hillary to start her campaign.
My loving message to each of the brainwashed 40 “wives:”
You might have as well be single - at least you’d have had your dignity if nothing else….
Best,
HF2
How is it that this loopy cult has gained respectability? Channeling their “faith” into ways to make money. Good grief.
Happy Veteran’s Day to all here who served, especially to Yardarm and Donna Dems twins. You are the true patriots.
Testing.
WOW
Stunning!
To all of our TOD veterans:
Welcome home.
Can I buy ya lunch?
Dear Yardarm…
{{{supertightbearhugtoyousir}}}
Happy Veterans day. Thanks to all the veterans and their families. Bless you all.
CNN is showing a live tribute to Bush 41 from 43 on Veteran’s Day ? Good Grief…..43 is responsible for tens of thousands of disabled Veteran’s.
Shame on you CNN
No one will buy it either.
As they show 43 live on VD
Dear Yardarm, Jovie, and all our veterans, children of veterans, etc., Thank You for your service to our country. Wishing everyone who is off or have to work, to have a wonderful day.
Blessing to my TOD family!
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/11/to-our-veterans-we-say-thank-you/