Destructive thoughts today

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Anyone who has ever been to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has probably marveled at the precision drilling that the military does there at the changing of the guard. Or heard those echoing steps tap a cross the long, long, long rows of white crosses that rise and fall in time with the topography of the land on Arlington Nation Cemetery. Or has marveled at the words so expertly chiseled into such a stately, but hard granite monument.

When I was there, I could not help but think of something better for that memorial...a backhoe ripping it apart, the military guards being sent home and the granite used for some other purpose.

Why? Because it wouldn't it be nice to not have a single soldier, in any conflict, past or present, that was not accounted for? There simply would be no need for a memorial.

I don't think there can be any greater injustice then to have a soldier give his life for his country and never have his identity recorded in documents, memorialized on a town plague, or have the news delivered to his family.

But unfortunately it happens, and all too often. So today we remember ALL Veterans, and I thank all of them whether felled by a bullet, age, or still living, and I indeed thank you all. But I must say, there is a special moment today, on the 11th hour, of the 11ith minute, and the 11th second that time will stand still and EVERY UNKNOWN SOLDIER, in any conflict will indeed have a name...that name is Hero.

Thank you for your service, and rest in peace.
 
The Johnson family would like to thank the following family members for their service:

Thomas Amsden: French and Indian War
Jonathan Amsden: Revolutionary War (America's side)
Nathanial Black: Revolutionary War (Americas side) (Killed at Valley Forge)
David Amsden: War of 1812
George Flannery: Civil War (Union) Killed in Action...buried in New Orleans)
John Black: Civil (Union) Combat Wounded 5 times
Frank Johnson: World War II Killed in Action B-17 German
Arthur Johnson: World War II
Ralph Champagne: Korea
Jerry Ryan: Vietnam
William Johnson: Vietnam (Combat Wounded)
 
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Remembering the Veterans while they are still alive.

My Family has a similar history. WW1. WW2. and The Border War in South Africa.

Here is a picture of the man himself. Joined the Navy at the age of 13. Fought in just about every Royal Navy theater of operation in WW2. and has the medals to prove it. Awarded an MBE by the Queen Elizabeth 2.

Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you Chief Petty Officer William George Keeble......91 years old and still going strong.


My Dad, My Veteran and My Hero.

And to all serviceman where ever they may be on this day, I salute you for your service to your country.

Hope this post dont conflict with the Code of Conduct.
 

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The Laird family would also like to thank our family members for their service:
Edward Rogers – Revolutionary War
Reuben Young Langston – War Between the States, 51st Georgia Volunteers – KIA Gettysburg July 3, 1863
James Long (maternal great uncle)– U.S. Army WWII – Anzio and D-Day
J. W. Long (maternal great uncle) – U.S. Army WWII – Anzio and D-Day
Herman Long (maternal great uncle) – U. S. Army WWII – Anzio and D-Day
Harris Long (maternal great uncle) – U. S. Navy WWII
Lorenzo Long (maternal great uncle) – U. S. Army WWII
Lester Henry Bruch, Jr. (fraternal uncle) – WWII – German POW 2 years
Harry Scott Coffey, Jr. (fraternal uncle) – WWII and Korea
Walter Emanuel Stanford (maternal uncle) – U.S. Navy - Korea
Harold Marcus Stanford (maternal uncle) – U. S. Navy - Korea
Arthur Thomas Stanford (maternal uncle) – U. S. Marines – Korea
Lamar Stanford (maternal uncle) – U.S. Army – Korea
Charles Edward Long (first cousin) – U.S. Navy – Vietnam – killed in Forrestal Fire July 29, 1967
David George Laird (husband) – U.S. Navy – VietNam, Desert Storm – 28 years of service
Kyle David Laird (son) – U.S. Navy
Charles Allen Derr (brother-in-law) - U.S. Air Force
Richard Mitchell (son-in-law) - U.S. Air Force

They are all my heroes.
 
And here's an article worth reading:

Group finds, buries remains of forgotten veterans

By WILSON RING, Associated Press Writer Wilson Ring, Associated Press Writer Mon Nov 10

RANDOLPH, Vt. – In World War II, Samuel Mazur was a tail gunner on a B-17 bomber that flew over Europe.
Three decades later, he died of cancer — with no family at his side — at a Veterans Administration hospital in Vermont. His cremated remains were sent to a funeral home, where they were placed on a shelf and forgotten.
"He had an interesting life," said Euclid Farnham, who knew him. "He really did not have anyone."
Until last week.
On Friday, Mazur got full military honors and was laid to rest along with three other forgotten veterans as part of the Missing in America Project, a volunteer organization that seeks to identify and honor the unclaimed remains of American veterans.
There was no family, but there were dozens of leather-clad, motorcycle-riding veterans at the Vermont Veterans' Memorial Cemetery, and a military honor guard.
"The recognition of their service transcends their death, and in places like this cemetery, we will continue to devote ourselves to their cause," retired U.S. Army Col. Joseph Krawczyk said during the ceremony.
In two years, the group's volunteers have visited 592 funeral homes, found 6,327 sets of unclaimed remains, identified 491 of them as belonging to veterans and interred 325, said Bruce Turner, the Vermont coordinator.
The Department of Veterans Affairs supports the effort.
"We would support any organization that helps to identify veterans who would be eligible for burial," said VA spokeswoman Josephine Schuda in Washington.
"We can't get into the task of locating and recovering remains, but when a group like this presents identification, the VA will verify eligibility and assist the group to organize burial honors," she said.
The remains of Mazur and the three other vets came from Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction, the first Vermont location contacted by Turner, 58, of Lebanon, N.H.
Turner figures there are dozens — at least — similar remains in Vermont and New Hampshire, where he's already helped bury six at a veterans' cemetery in Boscawen and is planning another service to inter nine more.
Fred Salanti, 60, of Redding, Calif., founded the organization after discovering that unclaimed remains of veterans were being buried in California veterans' cemeteries without the honors he felt they deserved.
"Some of us who are Vietnam veterans, we still have something locked inside of us that makes us want to reach out and honor other veterans," Salanti said. "When you stand in a Missing in America Project service and see 60-year-old men, streaming tears, and you look around and see no family, we are their family."
The group has begun identifying unclaimed remains and — when possible — returning them to family members. When no one can be found or no one is interested, the remains are interred in veterans' cemeteries.
Last year, the group received $5,000 in donations, Salanti said. "We can't afford to have a budget," he said.

Jim Johnston, a spokesman for the Vermont Funeral Directors Association, said about 5 percent of all remains are never claimed. He estimated there were a couple dozen sets of unclaimed remains in the funeral home he runs. He's now going to check to see how many were veterans.
"I think once the word gets out that they can be buried at the veterans' cemetery, (directors) will start checking their remains to see how many veterans they do have," Johnston said.
The requirement for a veteran to buried in a veteran's cemetery is to have been honorably discharged. Of the four sets of remains buried here Friday, the most was known about Mazur:
He won a Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, the World War II victory medal and the Army of Occupation Medal for service in Germany, said Clayton Clark, head of the state office of Veterans Affairs in Montpelier
He made a career of the military and lived all over the world, retiring in Vermont in a small house he bought in South Royalton. He lived there for about a dozen years.
He filled his Vermont home with furniture he had made in Hong Kong. It sold at auction after his death for a fraction of its worth, said Farnham, who hadn't known Mazur's remains were never claimed.
"His ex-wife came after he died," Farnham said. "I guess I assumed they had claimed the remains. Obviously, they didn't.
And the others found with Mazur:
• Ralph G. Hemphill served as a private during World War I.
• Julius John Morse served in the Navy in World War II.
• Doris Ferriter was an Army second lieutenant in World War II.
 
My thanks to all who have served and sacrificed for our freedom.

These are my family members who have served.

MM1-Carl Tempio, Uncle, U S Navy, WWII Pacific. (Deceased)
MM2-Salvatore Baideme, Brother, U S Navy, WWII Pacific. (D)
GM2-Michael Greco, Brother-in-law, U S Navy, WWII. (D)
John Mackin, Brother-in-law, U S Navy, WWII. (D)
Maj-Norman Tempio, cousin, Army. (D)
Sgt-Joseph A. Baideme, Cousin, Army, WWII Europe Anzio. (D)
Cpl-Phillip J. Baideme, Godfather, Army Air Corps, WWII, Africa. (D)
Commander-Charles Costanza, Godfather, U S Navy Pilot, WWII. (D)
Sgt-Albert H Firster, Father-in-law, Army, WWII-Korea. (D)
Cpl-Albert Firster Jr. Brother-in-law, Army, Vietnam.

God bless them all, and all the others who have so unselfishly given so much.

Aloha, Tony
 
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