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the battling boys of benghazi poem

Steve

Well-known member
Posted for a friend.
Only the Seals know what really happened...



A bump in the road" .... remember that calloused statement?

I don't know the author of this poem … received it today. Very thought provoking and poignant. I do recall, however, the President referring to the Benghazi incident as "a bump in the road." Today I heard an ex-Navy Seal being interviewed on Fox News regarding a book he has written about how to handle crisis situations in our lives. At the end of the interview he asked if he could make a comment on Benghazi and of course the anchor said yes. He then thanked Fox News for keeping the Benghazi story in the news, since other news organizations are not. He said the Seals who died deserve the public knowing the truth about the whole affair.


The poem was written by a MARINE CORPS Officer (ANON).

The+Battle.jpg

I was asked to post this.. and I thought it would be a great start to a weekend.. while this weekend is often set aside as the beginning of summer... but few could enjoy that privilege if it were not for all who sacrificed so much, and asked so little in return..

it is a great time to honor the heroes we seldom get a chance to thank
 

Traveler

Well-known member
When the Obama's act like they give a s**t about US Troops, it's almost sickening. This proves definitively that they don't.
 

Steve

Well-known member
Traveler said:
When the Obama's act like they give a s**t about US Troops, it's almost sickening. This proves definitively that they don't.

as you know.. I don't have alot of respect for the obamas.. and even if what she did was for show.. she has at times reached out to the military,.. and maybe more so then many of our other elected officials..

it will never be as much as GW and Laura Bush has and is.. most of what they have done is done quietly and behind the scenes.

but most of our younger politicians only pander to the voters but never give a second thought to those who are serving...

there once was a time when serving meant the difference between winning and losing an election... but the greatest generation for the most part understood the cost... and wouldn't elect a person who didn't know that cost... but those days may be fading with them..

I hope not.. and will pray for them all this weekend...
 

Steve

Well-known member
Over my life I have met some old men.. (and a few little ol ladies) who would never tell you they were heroes.. but they had some great stories..

one is my wife's uncle Jack.. a tower of a man in his day.. a good Christian to a fault.. had a great laugh.. and was a bit henpecked,.. but still sneaked an extra cookie a time or two.. to look at this man.. you would never know..

nothing about him said anything but gentle.. kind. and caring.. one day long before I met him he was visiting his mother at the hospital.. in a bed near by was an Italian lady who couldn't speak English,.. and nurses and doctors trying to treat her couldn't speak Italian..

she was tied to the bed..and screaming .. Jack spoke with her... calmed her down.. and untied her hands.. he told the doctors her name and what she was saying...

later when a doctor who understood Italian came in to check on her she only wanted to thank Jack and to find out which village in Italy he came from..

Jack was Scottish, born and raised in Glasgow.. and when I knew him he spoke with an unmistakable Scottish accent..

so how was this lady so confused?

well apparently during WW2,.. Jack skied into Italy and lived for almost a year working and training the underground in Italy and carrying out attacks well behind the enemy line.. and then skiing back to safety with intel.. and was a bit embarrassed when his mother told of his heroics..

I've heard my grandfathers stories from an uncle... heard another uncles stories from his brother.. neither talked about the war.. but both were heroes..

and I still take the time to listen to any old vet tell me their story..

so when this one was sent to me today.. I read it.. and felt proud to know that I could hear a bit of his story..

I'm not a marine,.. but I have served with a few,.. drank with a few.. and am damn proud to have known a few...

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my

cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the

hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the

door open. The old man was looking at the engine. I put my

groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the old

gentleman from about twenty five feet away.





I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in

his arm walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw

him coming too, and took a few steps towards him.





I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something.

The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand

new Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the old man. I

heard him yell at the old gentleman saying:'You shouldn't even

be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his

hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.





I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow

as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then

went to his wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would

be okay. I had seen enough, and I approached the old man. He saw

me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks

like you're having a problem.'





He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head. I looked under

the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it was

beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and

I told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station

and went inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached

one of them, and related the problem the old man had with his car.

I offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and

appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened

up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the

problem (overheated engine), I spoke with the old gentleman.





When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine

Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been

a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit

did you serve with?'





He said that he served with the first Marine Division at Guadalcanal ,

Pelieliu, and Okinawa . He had hit three of the worst ones, and retired

from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car

engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came

over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by

me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.





He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed

had his name and address on it, and I stuck it in my pocket. We all

shook hands all around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife.





I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the

station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted

their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I

wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of

them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card

the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they

were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around

and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the

old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.





For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and

took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time.

The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and

under his name was written: 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over.

I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled

that on this day, four Marines had all come together because one of us

needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood

next to greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence.





Remember, as we approach another Memorial Day,
OLD men like him gave you, and all of us, FREEDOM for America .





Thanks to those who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who continue to support them.
America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall.





If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in
front of them! Remember, Freedom isn'tFree. Thousands have paid the price, so that you can enjoy what you have today.
 

Steve

Well-known member
It is the
VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.



It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

and this weekend is a great time to say thank you to those vets who have served..

to understand the cost.. this is a list of vets from my Mine Hunting unit that have passed ... some in the line of duty..



Shipmates:
I hope this note finds all of you in good health and enjoying your lives. Please take a moment tomorrow, Memorial Day to remember all the men and women that have gone in harms way for America.
And, don't forget our own shipmates:
John DeFrancisco,
Bob Esposito,
Tommy Forrest,
John Haaf,
Chuck McMahon,
Miles Turpin
and Mike Randazzo.

May they all be resting in Peace with their God.

Stay well
the list was forwarded to me by my old XO from the unit.. he still takes care of his men.. and still tries to stay in touch and up to date..

here is his favorite line.. and it came up from time to time.. (like when we rammed into a pier docking).. :oops:
'Life is tough, Its even tougher if you are stupid'
"The Duke"

May the vets we lost this year be remembered
 

Steve

Well-known member
Located on Fourth Street South just south of the City of Columbus, Mississippi, Friendship Cemetery is situated on a bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. This historic burial ground was founded May 30, 1849, on a five-acre parcel of land owned by the Union Lodge No 35 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

In 1957 the Odd Fellows deeded the cemetery to the City of Columbus, which maintains the present 65 acres containing approximately 16,000 graves.

In 1980 Friendship Cemetery was named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Friendship Cemetery is noteworthy not only as the burial place of people whose names are synonymous with the founding of Columbus but is also important for its associations with other people and events, which shaped the history of Mississippi and the nation.

In addition, buried in Friendship Cemetery are veterans of the American Revolution, The War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

An early memorial ceremony honoring the Civil War soldiers buried in Friendship Cemetery has been credited as the forerunner of the modern Memorial Day.



During the American Civil War, Columbus MS was a hospital town. However, Columbus also had an arsenal that made gunpowder, handguns and a few cannon. Because of this the Union tried to invade Columbus more than once but was stopped by General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Many of the casualties from the Battle of Shiloh were brought there, and thousands were buried in the town's Friendship Cemetery. One of the hospitals was located at the still-operating Annunciation Catholic Church, built in 1863. The decision of a group of ladies to decorate the Union and Confederate graves with flowers together on April 25, 1866, is an early example of what became Memorial Day. A poet, Francis Miles Finch, happened to be in town that day and commemorated the occasion with the poem "The Blue and Grey".

The Blue And The Gray
Francis Miles Finch (1827-1907)
By the flow of the inland river,
Whence the fleets of iron have fled,
Where the blades of the grave-grass quiver,
Asleep are the ranks of the dead:
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment-day;
Under the one, the Blue,
Under the other, the Gray

These in the robings of glory,
Those in the gloom of defeat,
All with the battle-blood gory,
In the dusk of eternity meet:
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgement-day
Under the laurel, the Blue,
Under the willow, the Gray.

From the silence of sorrowful hours
The desolate mourners go,
Lovingly laden with flowers
Alike for the friend and the foe;
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgement-day;
Under the roses, the Blue,
Under the lilies, the Gray.

So with an equal splendor,
The morning sun-rays fall,
With a touch impartially tender,
On the blossoms blooming for all:
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment-day;
Broidered with gold, the Blue,
Mellowed with gold, the Gray.

So, when the summer calleth,
On forest and field of grain,
With an equal murmur falleth
The cooling drip of the rain:
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment -day,
Wet with the rain, the Blue
Wet with the rain, the Gray.

Sadly, but not with upbraiding,
The generous deed was done,
In the storm of the years that are fading
No braver battle was won:
Under the sod adn the dew,
Waiting the judgment-day;
Under the blossoms, the Blue,
Under the garlands, the Gray

No more shall the war cry sever,
Or the winding rivers be red;
They banish our anger forever
When they laurel the graves of our dead!
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment-day,
Love and tears for the Blue,
Tears and love for the Gray.

I Salute the great sacrifice of our heroes for the gift of freedom this Memorial Day

seemed to me like many who sacrificed all deserve to be remembered..

may GOD bless them today.. and always..
 

Steve

Well-known member
I started this post as the weekend started out of respect for all vets.. young and old..

I've seen many pass but can't remember all their names..

if I could the list would be long..

it would include
my grandpa.. US Army.. first generation immigrant from Ukraine with German entrance papers.. he was drafted.. but sent to Fort Dix,.. and not allowed to fight until the end of the war..speaking fluent German,. he was sent over during reconstruction. and still earned quite a few medals.
(seems not everyone was done fighting)

My other grandpa.. US Navy liberty fleet

and from there is the man next door,... to about the whole town that served..

All my brothers and I served.. two retired..

had a few uncles.. Uncle Johnny,.. Uncle Tony.. both died at the old hospital in Hot Springs.. we would go visit.. and go to the Even's plunge..

some cousins.. many friends served

in fact whenever one in our family joined it was a proud moment.. and it brought tears from my grandma.. cause she knew the cost..

I heard stories growing up.. many now forgotten..

sure would be nice to see how many of US had family who served..

so lets remember them and hear everyone's story today..
 

gmacbeef

Well-known member
Traveler said:
When the Obama's act like they give a s**t about US Troops, it's almost sickening. This proves definitively that they don't.


It's not only the troops, they don't give a RATS ASS about ANYONE but themselves.
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
gmacbeef said:
Traveler said:
When the Obama's act like they give a s**t about US Troops, it's almost sickening. This proves definitively that they don't.


It's not only the troops, they don't give a RATS ASS about ANYONE but themselves.

And here...I thought I was the only one that noticied. :lol:

I still remember when calling Barry a Narcissist was considered a conspiracy theory...not so much any more.

Where is that worldly woman that has visited 20 Countries and knew more than us hicks, that are trapped on the farm/ranch and know nothing. :lol:

Stupid farmers/ranchers, what do you know, besides: vet medicine, mechanics, crop science, business, weather, welding, construction, etc. :roll:
 
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