August 16, 2006

Farewell, Marine

This beautiful tribute to our brave United States Marines came to me in an email a few hours ago.

Grateful H/T BJS.

Posted by Seth at 10:33 PM | Comments (5) |

June 15, 2006

Many Noses To Go "Candyless" This Month

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Chase, a 378 foot high endurance cutter nailed a vessel carrying $53,000,000.00 worth of cocaine the other day.

While on a routine patrol, the 378-foot Coast Guard Cutter Chase encountered the suspected drug trafficking vessel, commonly referred to as a "go fast" vessel, 2,500 miles south of San Diego in international waters, and recovered the cocaine from the water after the five suspect crewmembers set their vessel on fire and jumped overboard.

Go, Coasties!

The Chase has a crew of approximately 160 people, and its primary missions are maritime law enforcement and search and rescue. Last year, the Chase's crew prevented more than $400 million of cocaine from reaching the United States.

Posted by Seth at 05:23 AM |

April 13, 2006

Lick A Stamp, Send A card

This kid came back from Iraq the sole survivor of his unit and in really bad shape, like healing one thing complicates another. He served his country in a way that few have served and fewer can understand -- he faced the reality of war for the rest of us and is suffering wounds that will painfully complicate the rest of his life.

His name is Kevin Downs and he's a young patriot from Tennessee. Please pray for him, thank him a million times a day for his sacrifice on behalf of all Americans and send him a card or a letter at

Sgt. Kevin Downs
Brooke Army Medical Center
3851 Roger Brooke Drive
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234

Hat tip and profound thanks to blog pal Romeo Cat for letting us know about Sgt. Downs and the situation in which he has returned home from combat.

Kevin Downs has both my prayers and my gratitude, as an American and as a patriot. God bless him.

Posted by Seth at 01:19 AM |

November 18, 2005

A New Post By Michael Yon

Freelance journalist Michael Yon's latest online magazine entry covers the soiree held by the fierce warriors of the Deuce Four, celebrating their return home from Iraq, and is titled, The Punishers' Ball.

Bruce Willis, one of the few right thinkers in Hollywood and truly supportive of and popular with U.S. troops, attended as a guest speaker.

Posted by Seth at 05:06 AM |

August 04, 2005

An Old Tradition Explained

Here's something I didn't know, and I'm probably not alone, so I'm going to share it.

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps were played; this brings out a new meaning of it. Here is something Every American should know. Until I read this, I didn't know, but I checked it out and it's true:

We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps". It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be Interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.

When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.

The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.

The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.

This wish was granted. The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" ... used at military funerals
was born. The words are :

Day is done..
Gone the sun.
From the lakes.
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun.
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky.
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh.

I too have felt the chills while listening to "Taps" but I have never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn't even know there was more than one verse. I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass it along.

Hat Tip, Jodee, and many thanks.

Posted by Seth at 01:55 PM | Comments (4) |

July 07, 2005

Army Reenlistment Rate Is Healthy

According to this article at Military.com, while we hear that enlistments are down due to the public's supposed "disenfranchisement" with the war in Iraq, it seems that Army reenlistments are on the way to exceeding this year's target numbers, a large part of those numbers coming from among elite forces.

Through the end of May, 45,333 soldiers had reenlisted, said Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, an Army spokeswoman at the Pentagon. That's 70 percent of the Army's full year goal.

....Nearly 11,000 soldiers from the elite 18th Airborne Corps, which includes four of the Army's 10 active divisions, have "re-upped" this year. That's about 86% of the corp's full year goal, said the corps commander, Maj. Gen. Virgil Packett.

"The 18th Airborne is carrying the Army right now in retention," Packett said.

And leading the corps is the 82nd Airborne, which has reached 97 percent of its annual goal, even though it has deployed regularly to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 82nd's paratroopers are "a special cut of American society," Packett said. "It takes a cut of a different person to jump out of an airplane."

Staff Sgt. Daniel Metzdorf decided to reenlist even though a roadside bomb blew off part of his right leg last year while he was in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne. 

Interestingly enough, while so many of our young people are being turned off to enlisting and going to Iraq by the anti-war(anti-Bush, using the war as a political tool to attack our President) Mainstream Media's aggressive and continuous downplaying of the importance of what our brave military personnel are doing over there, it seems that tens of thousands of people who have been fighting the war know the truth; They see why we are there and are willing to remain in harm's way to help accomplish the mission.

Where do they find heroes like Sgt. Metzdorf, true patriots who, even having lost a limb, are willing to return to hell on behalf of their country? They find them among Americans who are proud of their country and the freedom America stands for, neither of which means anything to the anti-war liberals in our society nor to the spineless Democrat butt- munchers that march to their beat.  

Posted by Seth at 02:44 AM |