Category: Bombing of Pearl Harbor

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It Can be hard to Make friends While in the MIlitary

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A video posted online last week shows special operations soldiers dashing from a helicopter to a target house, shooting multiple ‘bad guys,’ and rescuing a hostage in the time it takes most people to tie their shoes.

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Many people believe that opportunity is a combination of luck and preparation. No one embodies that sentiment more than Eddie Rickenbacker, as the next few decades of his life would show.

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DARPA’s solution to the military’s plastic trash problem? Eat it.

Scientists want to turn plastic water bottles into protein powder and gun lubricant.

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In 1999, a toy called the Furby was banned by the NSA, the FAA, the Naval Shipyard in Norfolk, Viriginia, and a children’s hospital in Scotland.

There were preposterous rumors that led to an owl-like robot being dubbed a national security risk and safety hazard .

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Bob Dole: Senator, soldier, veterans’ advocate; ‘an individual of extraordinary will’
“It is with heavy hearts we announce that Senator Robert Joseph Dole died early this morning in his sleep,” according to a statement from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “At his death, at age 98, he had served the United States of America faithfully for 79 years.”
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Russia says US spy planes threaten civil aviation over Black Sea

According to Russia’s civil aviation agency, two passenger planes had to divert and change altitude because a NATO surveillance plane crossed their routes and ignored signals from Russian air safety authorities.

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80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor brings end to victim-identification programOn Dec. 7, the 80th anniversary of the attack that plunged the United States into World War II, the last of the remains that could not be identified will be reburied in Honolulu’s National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific known as the “Punchbowl.”
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I will share another excerpt for you, from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the trenches of Life. Not many left, so come back to see what is left. Better yet…go to the top of this page and click on “Subscribe.” When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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It’s Tough Being the New Kid on the Block

After basic training I was accepted into the Army Security Agency, which is a unit of soldiers who, in my case, monitored radio/teletype transactions to make sure there were no breaches of security.

I was sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia, for my training for that. I was separated from my two buddies there. I began to feel the loneliness again. Yes, there were hundreds of other soldiers just like me, but they weren’t from my home area. They were from all over the United States. They all had their own ways to approach people. Some didn’t want to have anything to do with the people around them.

I didn’t see why it was happening, and went out of my way to “cross the center line,” to the other side to get acquainted with them. I made some good friends on both sides, and didn’t get in trouble for doing it from either side.

Do you have family members, or fellow soldiers that you feel are isolating themselves from you? Are there those who want to be alone, and not mix with others?

I have felt that while I was stationed in Korea. There was a breakdown of short timers, (those with a month to go or less,) new guys who were “outcasts,” until they proved themselves, and the regular group who were in between.

I went through all three stages while I was there. However, I couldn’t let myself treat the new soldiers as outcasts. I learned that my first week there myself.

I was just settling in when two guys came walking up to me in my Quonset hut, (metal shelter.) They were both big and strong looking guys. One was African American, who looked like a linebacker, and the other was “tall drink of water,” from Texas.

I was every worried as they came towards me. Why would they fool around with a “newsikky,” (new guy) like me? They both had smiles on their faces and shook my hand. They greeted me like I was somebody important.

I figured they were the welcoming committee, but they weren’t. They were just two soldiers who had gone through the gauntlet like all new soldiers had to do, and they had decided that they would make sure no one else had to.

That was the one main factor that helped me cope while I was in Korea. I became very good buddies with those two guys. (Besides they were big and tough and they protected me!) They set the pattern that I used the whole time I was there. I felt it was my duty, because of these two men, to make the new soldiers feel welcome.

If you have been through some feelings of rejection in your world, reach out to someone who is in the same boat as you are and help them cope. Be like my two “angels” who came to make me feel welcome, and make others around you feel important and special.

You will not only feel good about what you are doing, but you will help someone who is struggling a great deal.

IWILL

There are times when you have “down time,” in the military. Use that time to get to know some of the soldiers that don’t seem to have any friends. It may seem uncomfortable at first, and they may reject you, but they will never be the same. They will know that someone cares, and they will walk a little taller.

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Checking in on you my friend. How are you doing? Do you have dreams about your service time? Are they nightmares?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 13,440 fellow veterans subscribed to this site who have your back.

If the dreams just too much for you right now, GET HELP!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. There are highly qualified counselors there to help you, and they will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-272-8255..texting 838255.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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There Are Many Great Stories About Our Heroes Who Fought in WWII.

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Military news…

“We’re under great pressure. We’re crumbling. We’re being overrun,” Retired Army Ranger Col. Ralph Puckett recalls saying in November, 1950, when he and a small force of other Rangers and Korean soldiers held off hundreds of Chinese soldiers during a battle near Unsan, Korea. 70 years later, Haley Britzky was among the first to report on Wednesday that Puckett will receive the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry that day. 

It might be obvious that drinking and samurai swords don’t mix, but, as they say about a lot of things, ‘tell it to the Marines.’ One Marine told me about his unfortunate experience with the two for a story I wrote rounding up reader submissions of the dumbest things they did in uniform. Other readers talked about picking up forklifts with bigger forklifts, or shorting out the base power generator because they were trying to watch Power Rangers. 

It might be obvious that drinking and samurai swords don’t mix, but, as they say about a lot of things, ‘tell it to the Marines.’ One Marine told me about his unfortunate experience with the two for a story I wrote rounding up reader submissions of the dumbest things they did in uniform. Other readers talked about picking up forklifts with bigger forklifts, or shorting out the base power generator because they were trying to watch Power Rangers. 


“The job of a Corpsman is to go through hell and back for your Marines,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Luis Fonseca at his retirement ceremony last week.  Nobody knows that job better than Fonseca, who is the most decorated active-duty corpsman in the Navy and who first cut his teeth running through a wall of lead to save his buddies during the 2003 Battle of Nasiriyah. Fonseca was awarded the Navy Cross for valor for his actions that day, but it was only the beginning of a long career saving Marines on far-flung battlefields.
The Air Force has deployed its drone-killing microwave weapon to Africa
The Air Force is currently testing a prototype of its new drone-killing microwave weapon “in a real-world setting” in Africa, Breaking Defense reports, a major step forward for the service’s directed energy efforts.
Military spouses are the backbone of the military

The United States military is the finest fighting force in the world, ready to deploy anywhere within 48-hour notice. A combat-ready unit cannot operate without logistics, communications, and of course, family support. While they don’t wear uniforms, military spouses are fundamental in keeping our forces domestic and abroad focused, supported, and ready to go.
The Air Force’s new drone-in-a-box is like ‘scramble the fighters’ for base security forces
New drones at Travis Air Force Base respond immediately to fence alarms or distress calls, giving security forces rapid eyes-in-the-sky.
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Why did I enlist into the Army? (Thank you for asking.)

I had three uncles that fought in WWII. Two of them received the Purple Heart. They were brave and was able to come home. They told me stories of many that didn’t come home.

My brother went into the National Guard after I enlisted.

I was a freshman in college and my first term GPA was 0.76! I was having too much fun.

Myself and two other buddies sat down and had a talk. We decided to enlist under the buddy system. I was proud to join because I honored my uncles so much.

I have stories about my uncles in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. Two of my uncles were in life threatening situations.

One uncle was a tanker. He was the man who was in charge of the tank with two other soldiers. One day he stopped the tank and told his buddies he was going to air out the tank by opening the top.

That turned out to be a mistake. A Japanese soldier came running up and tossed a grenade into the tank. It killed his best friend next to him, and he and the other tanker were wounded.

He never wanted to talk about that incident, because he felt it was his fault for having people killed and wounded.

Another uncle was in the infantry. He was fighting the Germans in France. He whole unit was attacked, and many of the soldiers were either killed or wounded.

Those that survived retreated. This left many man still alive, but wounded.

My Uncle could see the German soldiers coming through and checking to see if there were any soldiers still alive. If they were they killed them.

My uncle had to “Play dead.” He couldn’t move or even breath as one german came by him. They went on through and then the medics came back to rescue those who were still breathing. My was uncle one of them.

My third uncle was a SeaBee. They were vital to the war in that they built bridges across rivers for the soldiers to advance. This also helped with the equipment.

To me he was just as much as a hero as the others.

Stories about these three heroes are in my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

Keep coming back to see what new things have happened.

Better yet, go to the top of this page and click on the subscribe button. When you do all future posts will come directly to your inbox.

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Were you wounded while in the military? Are you still suffering because of that?

FEAR NOT!

There are over 12,010 fellow veterans subscribed to this site, and they all have your back.

If it is just too overwhelming for you right now. GET HELP!

There is a toll free number to call 24/7.

There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK.

Never face the storms alone!

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit from this site, please let them know about it.

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The 79th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Bombing is this weekend. Dec 7th, 1941

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Time to come out of our bunkers.

This coming weekend is the 79th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl harbor December 7th, 1941. I was only 2 years old at that time so I had no idea what really was going on.

Here is a story by a man who was there that day, and is still alive:

Sterling R. Cale realized something wasn’t right on that fateful morning. He was just 20 years old that day. He was a Navy hospital pharmacists mate stationed there at Pearl Harbor.

He had just finished breakfast when he noticed something happening at Battleship Row. He thought, How come they are bombing the battle wagons? “We don’t train on Sunday!”

While he was watching a plane came by with the Rising Sun on the fuselage. He said, “My God, those are Japanese planes!”

He ran and walked into the shallow harbor waters, to retrieve wounded and dead bodies over the next two hours. He said, “I only picked up 49 people.” He went on to say, “Some of those people were gone already. Some others were so badly burnt the skin would come off of their hands when I tried to help them.

There were others that were tired because they had been blown off a ship, or had jumped and had to get to shore.”

Cale, who is 98, is the last surviving military person from the attack on the Hawaiian Islands. His home is just a few miles from where the attack occurred.

He said, ” It is always on my mind. I know what happened, how it happened, but not whay it happened.”

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I had three uncles who fought in WWII.

One was a Sea Bee. Another was an infantry soldier, and the third was a tanker.

All three had vital things they contributed to the war during their enlistment.

The uncle who was in the See Bees, put in very important bridges and roadways to help our men and women fight the war.

The second uncle was wounded in France. His company was overwhelmed by German forces. He had to play dead, while the Germans came through to check for survivors. If they were still alive they shot them. He was a very lucky hero.

The last uncle was the driver of a tank fighting against the Japanese. He had two other crew members in the tank with him.

One day he had stopped to rest and get some fresh air in his tank. That turned out to be dangerous. A Japanese soldier was near, and dropped a grenade into their tank. The blast instantly killed his best friend next to him, and everyone else was wounded.

He never wanted to talk about it, because he felt he caused the problem by opening his tank up.

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Are you being strong?

Have you had some bad times? Does everything seem to be closing in on you?

You are not alone, my friend. There are over 10,180 veterans in this site who have your back. They care for you and want the best for you.

However, if you are overwhelmed, and frustrated, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number for you to call 24/7. When they talk to you it is all free.

There are highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it.