Happy Valentine’s Day! And especially to our deployed troops and to their families at home who miss their sweeties! Have a candy heart!
Remember that you can help the United Service Organization to provide special services to our troops like Operation Phone Home and Operation Music Download. These and the many other services provide the means for the troops to have a nicer Valentine’s Day or a nicer any other day. Please show your support today.
We had to drive past Zamperini Field this morning on our way the sporting goods outlet to pick up a new toy. Unexpectedly, two WW2-era warplanes flew overhead as they departed the airport. Then two more – and two more after that and then one solo departure. We opened the windows to enjoy the sound of the radial engines as they flew overhead. Later, as we were driving up to the recycle center, Damsel took this picture of the warbirds after they formed up and made a pass overhead. What a beautiful sight they were. What a beautiful sound they made – the sound of freedom WW2 style.
The Cap’n has been scrambling at work to get successful certification of one of the products, so he asked me to post one of the nice photos we took last weekend. This is a view of the Point Vicente Lighthouse on the grounds of the Coast Guard Station there. With Catalina Island visible in the background, this is one of the many very photogenic lighthouses in California.
We get a lot of feedback from bloggers and others who display our Never Forget Tribute on their websites. Were always delighted to read everyone’s thoughts, especially when they come from a member of our wonderful armed services. Coconut Commando, a soldier recently returned to Iraq, took the time to share this nice note with us:
I got back in country a few days ago from being home for Christmas. I have to tell you that, despite the current political atmosphere and moronics by Washington, I was treated like royalty by everyone enroute home. From the flight attendants to other passengers going by. In Atlanta, when we got off the plane, people just stood by and clapped as we went by. I guess I’m just not accustomed to it. I just wanted to share this experience with you and your readers and let you know that we truly appreciate your kind words and support. I also wanted to thank you for making it possible for me to add your Never Forget Tribute on my blog. I think that is the most dangerous threat facing the United States right now, politicians and celebrities trying to make us forget September 11th. Take care and I hope this note finds you and yours doing well and have a great New Year! (AKA-Coconut Commando)
Be sure to visit Coconut Commando‘s excellent blog.
Christmas Day 2006 – For a couple of years now we’ve decorated our tree with predominantly red, white and blue lights and ornaments to honor our country and our military men and women. As we celebrate the day at home with our families and friends, let us remember those in service to this great country on this day. Remember them with thoughts, silent prayers and especially by supporting them through your gifts to any of these charities, or any other organizations dedicated to our service members world wide.
God bless all of our service people.
We repeated our tactics from last year and purchased about a dozen new toys from our local merchandise liquidation store. We dropped them off at a local business where they had a USMCR Toys for Tots barrel. It gave us the usual endorphins knowing that we were sorta like Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Toys R Us advertised that they would be participating in the drive. However, when we tried dropping the toys off last week, they told us they took cash donations only. Not to fault the toy chain, but that wasn’t clear in their advertisements. We found out that you had to purchase the toys there and they would match them with another one, only if you bought them prior to November 16th.
Today is the 65th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A couple of days after the attack, a reporter named John Lomax was doing man-on-the-street interviews in Dallas, Texas; he interviewed an elderly woman, Lena Jamison, who had this to say back then:
“My first thought was, what a great pity that another nation should be added to those aggressors who choose to limit our freedom…I find myself at the age of eighty, an old woman, hanging on to the tail of the world, trying to keep up. I do not want the driver’s seat but the eternal verities. There are certain things that I wish to express: one thing that I am very sure of is that hatred is death, but love is light. I want to contribute to the civilization of the world but…When I look at the holocaust that is going on in the world today, I’m almost ready to let go…”
Image and quotation found in the archives of the Library of Congress.
It’s a pity today as well, that Lena Jameson’s sadness prevails in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, another infamous day. Hatred is death, indeed.
Update: To all WW2 Veterans and all Veterans who have served before and after, thank you and God bless you.