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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | My Daughter emailed me this Link
While we're all enjoying ourselves this weekend, please take a moment to remember those who gave us that privilage.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
She also added this;
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our
US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC
evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the
hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They
respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin,
marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding
the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be
afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously,
God Bless America. |
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July 2005
Posts: 150
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada | All I can say is "Amen, Brother" Mike. My father and his brother both served in World War II. Another uncle served in World War II and yet another uncle served in Korea. God bless all the servicemen who have so selflessly served and those who continue to serve to protect our freedoms and keep us safe. |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | How about this story ...
The day was April 25, 1976. The Cubs were playing the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Patrolling center field for the Cubs was 30-year-old Rick Monday, who was embarking upon what would be the best season of his career, with 32 home runs and 77 runs batted in. On this spring day in '76, he was on a Cubs team that was headed for a fourth place finish in the National League East. It was the fourth inning with the Dodgers batting.
The Vietnam War had ended a year before, but people didn't need a war in order to protest. What these two ding-a-lings who had just dashed onto the field of Dodger Stadium were all about nobody knew, but here they were, and where was security? They had come from the left-field corner and had just run past Cubs left fielder Jose Cardenal. One carried something under his arm but Monday couldn't distinguish what it was. Once they reached shallow left-center, they stopped and brought out the object. Monday could see; it was the U.S. flag.
He recalled that they laid it on the ground almost as if they were about to have a picnic. Then one of them dug into his pocket and brought out something shiny and metallic. "I figured having gone to college two and two is sometimes four," Monday said. "They were dousing it with lighter fluid." Then they lit a match. Which flared momentarily and died. By now, Monday was in full stride, running towards them. "To this day, I don't know what I was thinking,"he said. "Except bowl them over." He was also thinking they were trying to commit a terrible act.
"What they were doing was extremely wrong as far as I was concerned," said Monday, who served six years in the Marine Reserves. He reached them about the time they got the second match lit and were about to torch the flag. "There's a picture that I think won the Pulitzer Prize and it showed me reaching down and grabbing the flag," he said. Monday got the flag and handed it to Doug Rau, a Dodger's pitcher. That was the last Monday saw of it until a month later. The Dodgers came to Wrigley Field and Al Campanis, a Dodgers executive, presented the flag to Monday. "It's displayed very proudly in my home," he said.
Monday got a hero's welcome wherever the Cubs played the rest of that season. It was the last thing he wanted. He had simply done what he thought was the right and honorable thing to do. He had visited a veterans hospital when he played for Oakland and had seen how people's lives had been shattered fighting for what that flag represents. "It's the way I was brought up," he said. "You would have done the same thing had you been as close geographically as I was, I get the idiots stopped."
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | God Bless AMERICA! |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | lady stonebobbo, siblings stonebobbo, and I are all glad our own Marine is stateside this Memorial day. He is one of those who have answered the call:
I know both he and I will spend time this weekend thinking about his fallen comrades who didn't make it home. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | stonebobbo,
Thanks for that story about Rick Monday.
Wish more like him would play major league sports. :) |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | And remember the story of wide receiver Pat Tilley of the Arizona Cardinals who turned down a multi-year extension of his pro football contract to enlist in the Army and serve in Iraq, only to lose his life months later while serving. |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Bobbo, great story! God bless all our men and women in uniform! Keep the memory of those who gave their lives, and pray for the safe return of all those serving. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Rick Monday's a good guy... one of millions of American heros who do the right thing without thinking about it.
Let's remember, this weekend and always, all the military heros, like Bobbo's son, and all the heros like Monday, who love their country and do the right thing when fate calls.
I love this country! |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | My son's 4th birthday is Sunday. It will occasionally fall on Memorial Day. My daughter's is on July 4th. We have extra reasons to celebrate. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Here's a video of Rick Monday's great effort (compliments of Nil)
Just cut and paste
mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/library/open/features/monday_flag_350wmv?media_type=wms&av_type=video&event_p k=486348&product=gen_video ]video |
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January 2004
Posts: 338
Location: SE Michigan | I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the members of the Armed Forces on this memorial day weekend. I spent four years in the Air Force but it was during peace time so I was never really in harms way.
I recall seeing a film clip of one flag-burning incident where the protester accidentally spilled lighter fluid on himself caught fire and went up like a roman candle. It was poetic justice in a twisted sort of way.
But we also need to remember our responsibilty as voters; we elect the leaders who call the shots. Soldiers don't ask questions, they just do their duty. It is our duty as citizens to ask the questions and make sure that if the blood of our young people is to be spilled, it is done with extreme forebearance and reverence. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | 
Semper Fi |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Tony,
Awesome picture. :cool: |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | That is a great Pic! Where did you get it? |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | "PacMan" Boeing
http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/f4/d4c-78267.jp... |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Dinner T'night:
In a Charcoal Grill (like there's anything else):
AhiTuna steaks smothered with MangoSalsa and cooked on an alder plank . . . .
A SierraNevada PaleAle and a cigar that MasterFugot gave me in CT.
LifeIs(urp.)Good . . . |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Nice.
I've done similar on apple plank. |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Far simpler, lemon pepper for the Copper River salmon and Greek seasoning on the four New Yorks.
That way, Princess (the cat, formerly called Toonces for her appearance to Toonces, the Driving Cat) has her choice of leftovers.
Cooking a few extra New Yorks for leftovers tomorrow. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I tried grilling salmon on a Taylor spruce top... |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | They give the food a hint of "vanilla" . . . |
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August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Bob Taylor uses pieces of cedar... |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Leftover handmade smothered pork burritos from Saturday. |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Beer brats, beans and marshallow salad. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Marshmallow salad...
F'wit-ko....
Did you hire Dutch call-girls to roll around in it?? |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 176
Location: Denver Colorado | Thinking Ramen noodles or Mac & Cheese here tonight and every night into the unforseeable future... LOL
- to recover from G.A.S. pains caused by resurrecting that 12 string this week.
:) |
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OT Memorial Day